Crystal Lotus
by Yuhi Sakura
Summary: A simple vacation gone awry turns into a mission of finding one's true self in life and affirmation in how the ancient past becomes the inevitable future...
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One: A World Away**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

The busty blonde eyed the letter in her hand over again, smiling despite herself. Folding it again, she wrote out a reply, signing it and sealing it with her stamp before handing it to her aid.

"Oh! And, Shizune, fetch Sakura for me while you're out." She added just before the ebony-haired female disappeared through the office door.

She turned around, glancing out across the village she that called not only her home, but her duty. It had been quiet for quite some time, and following a small war with Oto and a battle they were called into between Suna and Tsuchi, she had been giving many of her best and brightest time off. But she had desperately needed most of her medic nin on call while the treaties and agreements were worked out; they often acted as not only the embassy to Konoha, given their natural proclivity to switch roles, but peace keepers. After all, a combat medical ninja was not only a healer, but a warrior. It was that duality to their persona that made them so valuable. They were so used to switching instantly between roles in a cell that they made excellent ambassadors and counselors (and given the very nature of shinobi interactions, it wasn't uncommon for a treatise meeting to dissolve into violence).

There was a knock on her door that jarred her from her thoughts, and she called out in approval. The door swung up, revealing a pink-haired kunoichi, who, if looks were any indication, had been called from a training session.

"You asked for me, Lady Tsunade-shishou?"

The Hokage smiled, "Yes. Sit down. I want to talk to you."

The kunoichi did as she was bidden and took a seat.

"How do you feel about a vacation?" She asked.

"A vacation?" Sakura replied, pursing her lips slightly. She had known that a lot of shinobi had been given time off. She had been responsible, in her off time, as assistant to Tsunade, for writing receipts and reimbursing resorts and the like.

"I'm really happy, shishou, and please don't take this the wrong way, but can you afford to do without me?"

Sakura held no delusions about her own abilities. She knew that she was valuable as a shinobi and a medical expert, even if she didn't put on a huge show about it. And she knew that given the recent, and very shaky, politics, she was worried about who would fill the gap left in her leave.

Tsunade smirked, "We can manage. No offense."

Sakura smiled, "Great! So, where am I going? The Land of Tea? Land of Spring?"

Tsunade smiled back as she reached into her desk drawer with her free hand and pulled out a brochure. She had considered both, of course. The Land of Spring was renowned for its luxurious resorts and year-round beauty. And the Land of Tea was a quiet little retreat far outside the borders of the Great Shinobi Nations, making it very peaceful. But she wanted the pink-haired teen to go somewhere new, somewhere she could really unwind and have some fun.

"Actually, you'll be going to Domino City. Outside of the shionbi nations." The honey-haired Kage replied as she slid the pamphlet across the desk.

The chunin snapped it up, flipping it open easily as she glanced between it and her Kage. Her lips pulled up in a radiant smile a moment later.

"This is really exciting! Thank you!" She cried as she nearly leapt across the desk, embracing her stunned Kage before she jumped out of the open window of the office in true shinobi fashion.

Tsunade chuckled to herself as she thought back on the last 'vacation' Sakura had had. Of course, they were still required to keep records of their travels and the like in their standard journals. And the last one, the only real report the kunoichi had ever written (not just the facts, but actual statements of feelings and the like), had been a real trip. Apparently, Naruto had been playing with a kunai when he tripped, taking Kakashi down with him, who reflexively let his own kunai fly. Sai, in his bid to knock the dagger aside, has brought up his katana a little too closely, very nearly eviscerating her. She had done quite a bit of subsequent harm to all three…

"That was nice of you, Lady Tsunade." Shizune remarked, TonTon, still caged in her arms, giving a squeal of approval.

"She deserves it. I haven't seen a kunoichi work that hard since you." Tsunade replied. "She'll surpass me soon…"

"Lady Tsunade!" Shizune cried, not out of anger for the younger's success, but in outrage of even the vaguest implication of Tsunade's slowing down.

The Kage glanced up with soft hazel eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "It was going to happen eventually, Shizune."

"Do me a favor," She added, holding up a piece of parchment, "Get this delivered for me."

As the aide disappeared back through the door, Tsunade smoothed open the letter on her desk and read it again.

My dearest friend Tsunade,

It's been far too long, my old friend. How have you been fairing? That village of your still top notch? I have no doubt in my mind that you're making a fine Hokage. The villagers should be happy and proud they have such a beautiful woman watching over them and keeping them safe.

Now, as for your letter, I have to admit I was surprised to hear you're giving one of your most talented medics some time off. But good for you. You've been talking a lot about this young lady Sakura and I must say you've peaked my interest.

I would be delighted to have her share my home! It's the least I could do after what you did for me what with that whole gambling problem. I've already informed my grandson and I can tell how excited he is to meet someone new, especially from a far away land.

You remember Yugi, don't you? Ha ha, he's grown up to be such a fine boy and wonderful duelist.

Well, I'll be expecting to hear from you! Tell that young lady Sakura she won't have to worry about a thing! We'll take good care of her!

Your friend,

Solomon Motou

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Yugi looked around patiently, watching the masses shifting around the airport. Beside him, his grandfather studied a watch hanging on his wrist. They knew about what time her plane was landing, and they knew she had pink hair. Honestly, that was more than enough to find her. Then again, odd hair color really shouldn't have struck the teenager as anything interesting, given his was tri-colored.

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Sakura stepped off of the plane, her carry-on slung over her shoulder and her suitcase wheeled behind her. She glanced around the crowded airport and felt an icy shiver slip down her spine…how easy would it be, in this massive crowd, for someone to get behind her, or in a blind spot…

She shook her head. Maybe that flight had gotten to her. For the most part, she thought ninja should stay in the trees...not thousands of feet in the air...but stranger things had happened before, she reasoned.

Sakura smoothed over the jeans she was wearing before tugging her sparkly white blouse into place on her torso. She rarely got to wear civilian clothes, let alone snug, form fitting civilian clothes. It was odd to not have her loose tunic and biker shorts, which just seemed to fit. But she loved that for once she had gotten to do her hair and make-up: the shock of spiky pink strands had been clipped up in a fan at the back of her head, her bangs framing her face. And her eyelids were dusted in gold, her lips painted a pale pink. But she could have done without the black, strappy heels that seemed intent on eating her feet alive...Even if they did do amazing things for her self-confidence.

She looked around again, resisting the urge to let her hand drop to a holster she knew wasn't there to retrieve a dagger she knew wasn't there.

"Over here, young lady!"

She turned to greet the voice, and smiled at the man she recognized as Solomon from the picture Tsunade had provided her.

He caught himself almost in mid-step as her viridian eyes met his. He had been warned by Tsunade about a few things, but even he hadn't been expecting this…

"You didn't have to get dressed up for us." He chuckled, recovering quickly from the shock of the intensity of her gaze. "But you look beautiful."

Sakura smiled, "It's alright. I don't get a lot of chances to dress up, so it was fun."

Yugi took a good look at her, a smile plastered across his face. Even though she had pink hair, it matched her perfectly, this coming from someone with three colors instead of one. Her green eyes just seemed to sparkle, matching the gold while the clothes seemed to hug her healthy ninja body. Feeling his cheeks flush again, he quickly looked away as his grandpa introduced them.

"This is my grandson, Yugi." He continued, motioning with his hand as the teenager smiled up at the pinkette. "And I'm Solomon. And old friend of Tsunade's."

"It's very nice to meet you, Sakura-chan." Yugi stated. "Tsunade-sama talks a lot about you."

Sakura blushed modestly; she had never really been anyone's pride until Tsunade came along. And, naturally, Tsunade rarely displayed pride over her even when they were alone. But it made her want to work that much harder.

"It's lovely to meet you guys, too." She replied, bowing deeply to both of them.

"Well then, why don't we head home so you can get settled? Are you hungry? I can whip up something for you."

"A little." Sakura replied as they began to walk before adding, "Lady Tsunade-shishou told me you lived differently, but I didn't realize how differently. It's fascinating, really."

Solomon hailed a cab, and he helped her load her bags into the trunk before motioning for her to climb in. She slid in next to Yugi, who sat as his grandfather explained a few things.

"I understand some things will be new and might catch you off guard slightly, but a talented smart kunoichi like you should have no problem fitting right in!"

"Me and my friends can show you around!" Yugi piped up, his violet eyes sparkling. His outfit consisted of his usual black boots, blue jeans, a black tank top and his blue jacket. But what stood out was his golden Millennium Puzzle around his neck, connected by a chain with the belt around his neck.  
Yugi didn't speak that much as he listened to his grandfather explained everything about Domino and even bringing up the game that was so popular here: Duel Monsters. But there was little time to ask questions as the cab pulled up the Game Shop.

As Solomon paid the fare, Yugi helped her unload her bags. Thanking him, she waved to the driver as he sped back down the street.

She was just about to comment on how lovely the shop was when something silver flashed in her peripherals. Her hand snapped up automatically as she twisted to meet the threat. To her surprise, it was a man not much older than maybe twenty. He had obviously thrown the card, and was making no attempt to hide it; his arm was still drawn back…

There was something she instantly disliked about him, about the way his eyes raked over her before turning maliciously on Yugi. She gave a derisive laugh, "Is a card supposed to scare me?" as she sent it flying back at him. Amazingly, he caught it with equal ease.

"Kaiba? What do you want?" Yugi asked.

"You know what I want, Yugi." He smirked, before asking coldly, "Who's the new girl?"

"None of your business, Kaiba." He replied. "But if you want a duel, then let's duel!"

His amethyst eyes turned to Sakura and he smiled, "Don't mind him. But, please excuse me."

Solomon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he muttered, "Here we go…"

Sakura turned to ask what was going on when Solomon gently pulled her back a few steps, telling her, "Now you'll see what we mean by the game…"

Her emerald eyes snapped up…

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two: Day One **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

Sakura sensed the world shift slightly. This wasn't Yugi...this was someone else entirely. Her eyes noted the immediate height difference, the slight change in the color of his eyes, the overwhelming confidence...It was like watching Naruto transform. But this was different...Her eyes drifted irrationally down to the puzzle at his neck...

The duel disk he wore on his arm activated, the holographic wings shooting out and switching on…

"All right, Kaiba! If you want to duel me so badly, then let's duel!" Now Yami, he looked back and smiled at Sakura. "I'm terribly sorry about this."

And there was a tension in the air...this Kaiba person and Yugi knew each other, very well. The same way she and Ino warred...this was exactly the same feeling. But this was something just as important. They were fighting for their pride, it seemed. That was a war she knew all too well.

"Solomon-sama...what's going on here? Something's changed...something...ancient is here..."

Solomon chuckled privately. He had imagined a response world's away from what she had given…but to be so perceptive, so quickly? This girl was even more amazing that Tsunade had suggested.

His eyes turned back to the duel; why did Kaiba persist on defeating Yuugi and reclaiming his title? This had been going on for years now and each year that passed, he became worse and worse. And now, he didn't even care there was a new person in town, which was a good thing, however unsettling. But to have forced Yugi into summoning the King of Games…this was something he knew the kunoichi would be questioning later.

In some ways, he had hoped this would go a bit more smoothly. He didn't want to shock their guest. But in another way, if she was so curious, then it wouldn't hurt to tell her, now would it? After all, she was a kunoichi, a ninja from a far away land. She didn't know anything about this new town and they didn't know anything about hers. So, it would be an equal exchange.

He turned his attention back to the duel, where Yami was smirking, chuckling even. Kaiba, glaring at his opponent, demanded to know why the reason behind the smirk. Yami, his deep confident voice stating his next move, announced this duel was over.

There was a brief clash, and without much effort, the brunette's Life Points were devastated. The holographic battle field dissolved…

"You may have won this time, Yugi, but I'll be back." He promised as he turned on his heels.

There was a sudden cry of, "Seto!" The kunoichi's gaze fell on a child, who was apparently related to Kaiba; she had been so enthralled by the duel she hadn't even noticed him.

"Well, hello, Mokuba!" Solomon smiled.

The child smiled in recognition, his eyes falling to the kunoichi. A light blush filtered into his cheeks as she thought how pretty she was…but in the next moment he was chasing after his brother.

"Well, now that that's over, how about that lunch?" Grandpa laughed as Yami turned around and, within the blink of an eye and a glow from the Puzzle, Yugi was back.

"Sorry about that, Sakura-chan. That was Seto Kaiba, my long time rival. He doesn't cause trouble that often so you really don't have to worry about him." He laughed softly.

Sakura smiled, "Not a problem. That was…interesting!"

He opened the door, showing her into the living room where he plopped down on the couch, shrugging off his jacket.

"So, Sakura-chan, what do you think about Duel Monsters?"

The kunoichi, who had taken a seat next to him, considered the question for a moment. What she had just seen was incredible...riveting, absolutely exhiliarating. It was an entire battle condensed into something that was beyond the simple card game she had thought it was. In fact, to call it a card game was an insult. There was power there...the power of life and death. She had felt it to her very core, raw and powerful; like a tidal wave that has washed over her and carried her away into a spiraling rip tide. This was...amazing.

"I'm not sure I can put into words have incredible that was, Yugi-san. It was...again, I don't have the words to describe it...I felt something...something change. It was like the entire world turned a few degrees."

Sakura blushed, realizing she was rambling again. But she was just so...captivated. What else could she say? What other word could she use?

And Kaiba...even if he didn't admit it, something, too, had changed in him. She had literally felt his energy alter and wash over her. It was different, though, it was icy. But Yuugi's was warm and protective, even though there was an undercurrent of true darkness. But who didn't have that streak?

"Yugi-san, later do you think you could show me around town? For some reason, I seem immune to that jet lag and I really want to get to know this place."

"And, if you don't mind, can you tell me more about Kaiba-san and...well, everything really!"  
She paused for a moment before she looked at him with a new intensity in her green eyes. "Yugi-san, something happened out there. This...this isn't a game, is it? It's something much more important. Something that tips the balance of the scales. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm prying...but...would you tell me about it?"

Her eyes were green fire, she knew-because Tsunade had taught her to never let that fire die. It was the result of hard training and intense battles, and it was a sure sign she didn't need protection from battle...or the truth.

"Well, I have to admit I wasn't expecting an answer like that, Sakura-chan. And please, just call me Yugi. No need for formalities like -san."

Just then, Grandpa Soloman's chuckle could be heard as he walked into the room, carrying a tray of drinks and sandwiches.

"But you insist on calling her Sakura-_chan_." He remarked, sliding the tray at them.

Yugi chuckled, rubbing at the back of his head.

"Of course; we'd be happy to show you around! You can meet my friends, too! Their great, just don't mind Joey. He can be a bit…crazy at times." Even Soloman laughed at that.

"But their good kids, Sakura. No need to worry. I'm sure you'll love it here. It's no surprise you're not tired. You take after Tsunade, all right. Always ready for anything. She's raised a fine daughter." He smiled.

Sakura was stilled by his response…Tsunade…thought of her as a daughter? For a moment, she wasn't sure what to feel but that void was quickly replaced by utter bliss. She continued to ask questions between bites of her sandwich, waiting patiently for the answers.

There was a type of determination resting in them, a fire if you will, blazing brightly as the answers to the questions she had laid within them…and the Millennium Puzzle.

However, would that spirit be willing to talk to the young kunoichi? He was used to everyone here, but someone completely brand new? Well, he didn't seem to mind dueling in front of her, however, that was slightly different. Even, allowing for that, though, it was unusual for him to make an appearance.

"Like I said, Sakura-chan," Spoke Soloman, growing serious now. "Whatever you want to know, we will be happy to tell you." He smiled, nodding over at Yugi, who wanted to make sure it was okay to spill everything to Sakura in such a short time.

He began by talking about how his grandpa found the puzzle in an Egyptian ruin while on an archeological expedition. He brought it back home for Yugi to solve and since then, he learned, with time, that he had the soul of a five thousand year old Pharaoh residing in his mind. That was the man who dueled, the confident one.

The Puzzle dated back to Egyptian days, where dark magic was used in plans to take over the world. That was when the Pharaoh locked the magic away in seven different Millennium items, the puzzle being one. As for Kaiba, he had been a sorcerer back then, plotting to over-throw the Pharaoh. The plan failed of course but it was destiny that he and Yugi dueled for the top spot in the dueling world.

"Fascinating! That explains so much. Particularly the sudden change in demeanor I witnessed. Absolutely incredible, really. And the connection you two have must be incredibly strong. So strong that the subtle changes in your mind and body can be openly detected by him. And he must be incredibly protective of you. Like bothers; he seems to function primarily as a defense against harm to you. But he also seems to have a distinct persona of his own that he attempts to shield from others-maybe so he doesn't affect your life."

The room was so quiet…she blushed, "I'm sorry, I'm assuming a lot here."

Yugi's first irrational thought was that he had to admit she was pretty cute, especially when she blushed...Speaking of blushing, he was still trying to hold his own back. That was usually about the time he heard that familiar chuckle in his mind. He was tempted to tell the Pharaoh to be quiet but he didn't want to scare or surprise Sakura, even if she had already seen him. That didn't mean she knew that Yugi could hear him. But he smiled at her.

Instead, he quipped, "It's like you've known us your entire life!" He laughed softly as he cast his eyes down to the puzzle at his neck, "You couldn't be more right about him. He's been with me ever since I solved the Puzzle. Aside from my other friends, I couldn't ask for a better one. He's a great partner and he's always trying to protect me, no matter what. So you're right. I do consider him a brother." He had a feeling he was surprising the Pharaoh who was probably smiling inwardly right now.

"But he does have his own life and his own memories that he tries to keep separate from mine. He knows he can talk to me about anything but he's still confused about a few things that even I can't help him with."

Sakura reached out, patting his hand lightly, "I'm sure it means the world that you're just there."

She jumped up quickly, pulling her hand back, "I'm just going to go get changed."

Solomon pointed out the restroom, and she smiled as she disappeared into the back room with her clothes.

Yugi sighed as she left, melting into the couch. That chuckle came back as Yami appeared as a hologram beside him that only Yugi could see.

'_She made you nervous, Yugi?_' The Pharaoh asked with a smile.

"Not exactly nervous, just…I didn't realize how quick a study she was."

'_Yes, she is very smart. Smarter than I thought. The way she caught on to everything that quick...no wonder her leader spoke so highly of her._' Yugi nodded to this as he turned his attention to the door, which was opening…

"Grandpa, you told them already?" Yugi's attention flashed over to Solomen, who just smiled and chuckled.

"Did I forget to mention I invited them over and told them about Sakura?"

"Hey Yuge!" Announced the blonde Brooklyn accent of the group, Joey. "So, where's dis new girl your grandpa overe here was talkin' about?"

What happened next was nearly impossible even for a trained shinobi eye to follow. One moment, he was vertical, and the next he was easily pinned by Sakura. If it hadn't been for the sheer brutality and speed with which she had reacted, they might have noticed the dagger at his throat, or even how high her skirt had drifted in the maneuver.

Joey's eyes flashed fearfully as she demanded he identify himself.

"Sakura, calm down!" Yugi yelled. "These are my friends! That's Joey!" The blonde had already passed out.

The kunoichi leapt back in an inhumanely easy jump, tucking the dagger into the waist band of her skirt as she knelt down beside the unconscious blonde. Her hand radiated brilliant green, and a moment later he opened his eyes.

"Sorry about that, everyone! Generally, in my home, anyway, if someone just runs at you, they usually want to kill you..."

She blushed a particularly deep shade of crimson, her hand twining nervously in the hair at the back of her head. She wasn't sure if she should just stand there and let them stare or if she needed to beg for forgiveness...

She glanced at the other two beside a now revived Joey. One was a male who was obviously interested in some kind of military career based on his poise and a female who was much more graceful. She had the delicate body of a dancer, and the features to match. And they were both looking at her like she was crazy...

Tea eyed her back evenly, wondering exactly what the heck Yugi was doing. Was it even safe to let this girl stay with them? For the first time in… forever, really, she wondered if he had finally gone insane. And given the rather reckless and even stupid things they did on a regular basis that was saying something.

Though he was just a spirit, even the Pharaoh saw this, not knowing what to make of it…but at least they know knew how deadly she could be…

"What was that all about?" Asked the taller brunette of the group, Tristan Taylor.

The group, however, did notice the green light emitting from the rosette's hand. What was that? Yugi and Grandpa Solomen knew Sakura was a kunoichi but they weren't aware of what chakra was or how it worked. Tristan and Tea saw it and it only added to their list of things that were confusing the hell out of them.

"It's alright, Sakura. We understand you acted on instinct. Your someplace new and don't know everyone so I don't blame you for the way you acted." He smiled, completely forgiving. "Besides, Joey will be alright." He laughed softly, hearing some groans come from the blonde.

'_Well, at least now we know what she's capable of._' spoke the Pharaoh with a smirk. Yugi just sighed and nodded slightly to himself as Joey finally started to come to.

"W-what happened?" He asked, cracking his eyes open to be blinded by the light.

"Sakura attacked you on accident." Yugi explained with a smile. Joey, confused at first, blinked a few times, Sakura coming into his view. He screamed slightly and jumped only to fall off the couch, earning a laugh from Tristan.

"Joey, you idiot!" Tea sighed, her palm meeting her face. The blonde just chuckled nervously and stood up, brushing himself off before rubbing the back of his neck.

"Do you always do dat to new people?" He asked, his attention going straight to her pink hair. "Is dat natural?" He couldn't stop his big mouth and earned a yank on the ear from Tea.

"Yes; where I'm from its unnatural not to do that. The last person who just appeared did so with the intention to kill me. So I had to get a little…uh…rough with him." Sakura smirked.

"How rough?" Joey asked.

"Excuse him, Sakura. He doesn't think before he talks." Tea replied, yanking even more sharply on his earlobe.

"Oh, its fine. After all…I did just attempt to kill him. So I suppose we're even."

Sakura smirked awkwardly before smoothing her shirt back over her torso. She was looking forward to getting out of the house, and her natural need to move was making her anxious. Maybe her job really was getting to her...natural suspicion, and inability to stay still...yeah, she needed this vacation more than she had originally thought.

"Well, let's get going, shall we?" She asked.

Yugi couldn't help but smile and chuckle at the situation. It wasn't as tense and awkward as it was when Sakura came flying out of the bathroom, though it was still lingering in the air. But by now, everything was starting to calm down and Tristan, now curious about Sakura's job back home, wondered just how rough she had to get with the person who busted in.

Tea just sighed and yanked on his ear, hoping to have a decent conversation with the new pink haired girl that didn't involve gore of any kind. They all agreed to heading out on the town and, after saying good-bye to Grandpa who watched over the Game Shop, they walked out the door.

Yugi was the talkative one since he was the only one Sakura really knew at the moment. But Joey, who was still recovering from what happened, chatted up a storm with the pinkette bit-by-bit, not really caring that she tackled him to the ground anymore.

Tristan was still laughing about that, saying how Joey was too much of a wuss to push a girl off of him. The blond blushed slightly and got into a small scuffle with his best friend, like he always did, saying how he didn't hit girls because that's the way he was raised. Tea just sighed and told Sakura to just ignore them; that's what she always did and laughed it off. She, too, was curious about the way things worked in Konoha and how hard Sakura's job was.

They eventually decided to settle down over ice cream. But just as they did, a voice could be heard behind them, saying hello and asking how they were.

"Oh, hey, there, Ryou." Yugi smiled, greeting the spiky white haired kid.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three: Complications get…Complicated**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Yu-gi-oh, or Haruno Lynn—the latter, sexy red-head is my best friend's character. ~.^**_

_**A/N: Prepare for the confusion!**_

"This is unexpected!" Tea remarked pleasantly.

Sakura stilled; there was a chill that was by no means physical...but it was there. She tensed without realizing it, her green eyes falling on a boy that had approached them. He looked nice enough: spiky white hair, clear eyes...but her eyes drifted irrationally to a large gold ring around his neck...

"It's nice to see all of you out and about." Ryou added before turning his eyes onto the kunoichi. "Where are my manners?" He asked, extending his hand, "I'm Ryou Bakura."

"This is Haruno Sakura." Yugi replied, "She's staying with my grandfather and me while she's on vacation."

"Sakura, like me, Ryou here has a Millennium item. His is the Millennium Ring." Yugi added.

Ryou was obviously shocked by the confession, but he quickly smiled nonetheless. He reasoned that Yugi had a good reason for having mentioned the Millennium Items. "Well, I'm sure you'll have loads of fun here. Yugi and his friends are always up to something interesting."

'_So, a new girl, eh? Well, this is going to be interesting…_'The dark chuckle came from the recesses of Ryou's mind, and before he could even really register it or stop it, the ring flashed, blinding Yugi and Sakura momentarily before Yami Bakura stood before them.

""Very nice to meet you, Sakura." He chuckled again. "Yugi, are you up for a duel?"

Yugi rose without realizing it; he knew that smirk and it always meant trouble. But Sakura's arm shot out, holding him back for a moment. Her eyes were hard green steel, her demeanor instantly changing. This wasn't right...She stared the clearly vicious man down, meeting his gaze evenly before she finally spoke.

"You're not Ryou Bakura…not in the strictest sense."

His widening smirk only confirmed her suspicion. She turned to Yugi, but she had already sensed him recede back behind the Pharaoh.

"This is dangerous and you know it…" She turned to motion to the others in a silent plea to be careful but when she turned, she found they had disappeared…the whole city had…Everything had been consumed by a thick, purple miasma, streak with ebony and swelling with hungry, red eyes.

She tensed, ready for a fight. But she knew this wasn't the physical world…it was like an illusion; it was a poor description, but it was the only one she had. This…was a battle of wills, she realized. But for what? She had a feeling it wasn't their lives they needed to worry about, but what could be more important?

The answer struck her as sharply as a physical blow: their souls…the one thing you could take, break, make whole and torture all over again. Unlike the body, it would never wear down, never be fully destroyed. It would be agony into eternity…

Her thoughts were interrupted by an icy lash across her ankle. Before she had time to look down and assess what had just hit her, she was viciously pulled to the ground as more converged on her.

Her green eyes shot up, and she realized the same tentacles were latching to the Pharaoh. But he didn't seem overly concerned about it, and if he did, he was doing an excellent job of hiding it.

"Yugi…I know that's not your real name…but what's going on here? And what can I do?"

She heard a dark chuckle and her fiery eyes snapped up to Bakura. He seemed to find the whole thing amusing…and that pissed her off. _Badly_.

In reality, he did. That girl would be the Pharaoh's downfall; After Duelist Kingdom and Pegasus' crushing defeat, obtaining the Millennium Eye couldn't have been easier. But he still needed the Millennium Puzzle…the ultimate prize.

"My, my, what a clever girl you are." He remarked.

"Shove it." Sakura replied with an icy smirk.

"Still, it's nice to know at least one mortal can state the obvious."

The Pharaoh suppressed an angry twitch of his ruby eyes. The Thief King had never had many manners, but this was beneath even his usual standard. However, he seemed to have forgotten that the Pharaoh's very passion was in games and dueling.

"You've nothing to fear." He told Sakura, turning back to her with a smile. "This _is_ dangerous, but I've faced him many times. He's nothing I can't handle."

"We'll see about that, Yugi." Bakura scoffed. "There's no escaping, Yugi. No hiding, no running. And the loser shall enjoy this…pleasant realm for a very long time afterward."

The Nameless Pharaoh snorted in quiet disapproval; only The Thief King could find the Shadow Realm pleasant. It was, essentially, a smaller version of Hell itself…

"Well, then, you had better get comfortable. I don't intend to lose. You seem to forget your life is in danger here, as well. And I have more to lose." Yami smirked, glancing back over his shoulder.

In his eyes, Bakura had played the odds against himself by trapping Sakura in the Shadow Realm. The Pharaoh thrived off of pressure.

"As for my name," He added, drawing his first card, "You may call me Yami. And you can start by trusting me."

Sakura smiled; she could do that. True, he was a being not of their plane, but he wasn't parasitic like his opponent. Something about his easy confidence told her he had been through this more times than he cared to recall. And if the only thing he was asking her to do was stay upbeat, hell, she could do that!

She just sat, trying to keep herself grounded. If it was an energy issue, as she believed it was, she wasn't going to let the place siphon it off from her. She forced her chakra into a perfect halo, leaving no room for energy leakage.

At the same time, she studied his movements. He really would have made an excellent ninja, she thought with some amusement. He had the mind for it. He was brilliant, and it was obvious from the get go that this was in the bag as far as he was concerned. And Bakura seemed to know that, too...His moves were getting more and more desperate, but something told her this was far from over. He had something up his sleeve...and then it occurred to her: if Yugi had a dual half, did he? And, if so...could he harm that half-a half that might very well be an innocent victim.

She found his eyes with her own, glaring at him. And she found the deeper that she stared, the more she found her suspicions confirmed. Was there even a way, she wondered, to save him from himself...and the person who she felt might be held captive in the body that was rightfully his...

Her green eyes met the Pharaoh's and she sensed an unspoken recognition between them. He knew what was on the line, and he would do everything to save all parties involved, but not at the cost of sacrificing themselves.

She felt an odd bond begin to form. Like…camaraderie. He was protecting her, true, but not for the reasons a lot of people did…He knew this was a matter of circumstance and specialization, not of weakness. That was something…new…Sometimes, she even got the feeling from Naruto that he found her to be of a lower class…But…not him…But in the midst of nothingness, she felt everything change.

And then she felt anxiety strike: Bakura's monsters, it seemed, were getting a point bonus. And from the scathing conversation that was being carried on by both, she came to understand that it was because they matched the current field.

She also came to realize that damage was calculated by subtracting the difference between an opposing monster's attack points and those of the destroyed monsters; but only if they weren't in Defense mode.

And she recognized just how good Bakura was at psychology…

But the Pharaoh rarely, if ever, gave into mind games. And something about the kunoichi behind him kept him grounded. If someone who had never been there before and was likely confused as all heck could remain calm, then he, a veteran to the Realm and frequent guest, could certainly win the duel.

"I will not let you beat me!" Bakura cried, making a fatal mistake that Yami caught instantly.

"Well, it seems you just did!" Yami shot back, extending his hand. The Thief King had allowed doubt to slip into his heart, a lethal mistake. "Now, be one with your own shadows!"

He hated having to slip around his promise to Yugi not to harm anyone. But a penalty game would allow both of them to leave the Realm with both souls intact.

Bakura sank to his knees, his eyes going wide as the shadows receded. But just as quickly they were replaced with the brown of his human host…clear, kind hazel…The city focused around them as the Shadow Realm faded like fog dissipating in the morning sun.

Yami sighed in relief, turning and offering his hand to Sakura. "Are you alright?"

Sakura took it, letting him pull her to her feet. Sakura wavered, unsure of her sense of balance. There was no denying she had been drained, but she was stable and felt much better with the repressive black shadows and staring, hungry eyes having faded. She wobbled for just a moment before she caught herself.

"That was…new and different. But, yeah, I think I'm okay. Limbs are all intact, I'm not bleeding…Yup; we're good!" She replied.

"Ryou! Yuge! You two alright?" Joey asked, rushing to help the white-haired youth to his feet. The Brooklyn blond didn't see the glance the two Millennium Item carriers gave each other, or the quiet nod.

"We're fine, Joey. Thank you." Yami replied. He smiled again at the kunoichi, thinking, _'Later.' _The puzzle flashed, an orb of light that none of them could see, as Yugi slipped back into his body.

Bakura quickly apologized, saying he really needed to be going as an excuse to just leave. The trouble that spirit caused sometimes…Yugi thought about stopping him, but Bakura just smiled, silently waving him off.

"I'm so sorry about that." He said rubbed the back of his neck as he turned to Sakura; he really felt horrible for dragging Sakura into the age-old Shadow Realm business. "Are you all right?"

The three friends looked back and forth at each other and knew the worse had happened already. So, Bakura's evil spirit resurfaced…No wonder everything went quiet. At least, from the looks of it, both Yugi and Sakura were all right…

* * *

The CEO of KaibaCorps walked into his office, glancing around to see his little brother sitting on the couch reading.

"Where's Queenie?" He demanded.

His brother glanced up, smiling. "Nice to see you, too, Seto. She's in her room, meditating. Why?"

"I saw something in town that I think is going to interest her." Kaiba responded as he left the room in a flourish of white and silver.

He knew his own home by heart, but even if he had somehow managed to get lost the white 'O' clan symbol on her door was a surefire sign of whose room that was. He knocked with no response so he simply walked in.

"Haven't you learned not to interrupt a kunoichi while she's mediating?"

He turned, wondering vaguely just how she had gotten behind him. But he was used to the oddities of living with a shinobi.

She laughed as he looked into her sparkling hazel eyes. They shared a hug, a quick kiss, and then he asked her to take a seat.

"I have news." He stated as he sat down.

She smirked, stretching out on the shared couch in a feline motion. He had her attention now.

"Someone came to see Yugi and is now hanging out with his geek squad."

"Hmm? Who is that?" Lynn asked, faintly bored.

"Your sister."

"M-my sister?" He nodded to confirm. She glanced out through the window again. What was she doing in Domino? She suddenly yanked the hair tie off her wrist and put her hair up. She was going to get to the bottom of this.

* * *

Sakura took a quick inventory of the group; it didn't seem like anyone had been harmed. Still, there was no denying a certain shakiness had suddenly pervaded her. It was like a bad fever, achy and icy at the same time, but with no physical symptoms to alleviate. She tried to push the feeling away and found some success in concentrating on the heat of the setting sun on her back.

"I think I'm okay. I'm not bleeding, all of my limbs are intact…I think we're okay!"

And as her senses returned, she realized there was something in the air…Something that had clung to Yugi after his brief encounter with Kaiba…she knew that feeling…that color…But from where? She dug through her mind, trying to pinpoint the source of it…

The answer hit her like a slap in the face: her sister…her sister who she hadn't seen in years and who she had almost forgotten…Her sister who was no doubt alive and well…

"Lynn!" She cried, before she could stop herself.

She shook her head, muttering a quick apology before she kicked off of the ground in a leap that carried her onto the first available rooftop.

"Saku…What?" Yugi cried as she disappeared, shocking all of them with her speed and the sheer force of her leap.

"Where do you think she's going?" Tea asked.

"What did she say?" Joey asked.

"I didn't catch it." Tristan replied.

And it seemed none of them had…

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four: The Blending of Two Worlds**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Yu-gi-oh, or Haruno Lynn! **_

A red blur jolted out of the mansion and ducked into the nearby alleyway. Making sure no one was watching, she jumped onto the wall of said mansion and onto the roof, her ponytail swaying in the wind, a smile on her face as she threw her hands together, releasing some chakra to let her location be known so her sister could find her better.

_Come on, Sakura_, she thought with a chuckle. _I know you can sense me, so come and find me. I will welcome you. Just as long as you don't have anyone tagging along, then everything should be okay. I'll explain everything you want to know._

She could feel Sakura's presence getting stronger and stronger and knew it wouldn't be long before pink hair came into view, demanding to know every little fact Lynn had been keeping from her.  
Well, Sakura has a right to know, after all, she thought again with a smirk.

It took Sakura almost no time to find her sister; her chakra was strong and unique. And she gave little concern to the fact that she was about to storm a house. Hell, Team Taka wouldn't have been able to stop her. She easily scaled the sides of the building and launched herself over the wall onto the roof. What she saw stilled her heart for a fraction of a second.

She knew now…when a ninja went rogue, the family often attempted to erase any record of them…so she knew why she didn't have any pictures of her sister to really solidify the hazy memories. But… Red hair...hazel eyes...a smirk that was nearly identical to her own. There was no denying this was Lynn...the sister she thought she had lost so long ago. She reached out tentatively before she simply tackled the slightly older female to the ground.

"Welcome Sakura." The red head had greeted when her sister finally made it to the roof. "I've been expecting you-...whoa!" But her sentence was cut short as she was tackled to the ground. Ignoring the shooting pain in her tailbone, she smiled.

"I was going to ask where the hell you've been, but I don't care." Sakura said. Tears ran down her face; but how many were exhaustion and how many were sheer joy she didn't know or care.

After a few moments, both kunoichi finally sat up, Lynn groaning from the power behind the sudden tackle, which still surprised her. At least the long list of questions wasn't coming up anytime soon. That would wait until they had more time together. In fact, that worked to her advantage…

Her little sister wasn't so little, anymore, was she? Sitting there, hazel eyes looked over the rosette sitting beside her. She was now a woman, mature, smart, strong, no doubt, and those green eyes were still as beautiful as ever. Lynn chuckled softly. She couldn't have felt prouder of her sister. Tsunade had apparently taken good care of her.

"I'd love to stay and catch up, but we need to make this a little...er...hasty. I have a ton to do while I'm in town." Sakura smirked at the irony of her own words. Here she was on vacation and she still hadn't had a moment to rest.

"Always so busy, huh, Saki?" She let the old nickname slip, wondering if Sakura could still remember how close they used to be. "Well, you deserve to know why I'm here so I'll give you the short version for right now. We can talk in greater depth later over ice cream or something. So, here goes: Back home, I asked for a vacation, got granted one by Tsunade Baa-chan, came here to stay with Solomen Moto for a while, learned about Duel Monsters, ran into Seto and Moku, and well, started dating the blue eyed brunette."

She quickly suppressed the resultant blush that flushed her own cheeks.

"So, what's got you in such a hurry?" The red-head asked.

"Well, uhh...in my excitement, I kind of ditched my host, Motou Yugi-san, and his friends and considering this all happened after this really freaky card game, they probably think I've gone crazy...oh! Yeah...Umm...about Kaiba-san, I think I already made a bad impression--but, you know, he really should just let Yugi be. You'll have to tell me more about their little rivalry the next time you get the chance! And...do you mind pointing me in the right direction? I'm kind of lost..."

Sakura scratched at the back of her head in embarrassment. She really needed to be much more careful, especially in the city--at least until she knew it a bit better, anyway.

But that thought was quickly paled by her immense joy in finding her sister again. It had been a very long time...too long. But it was so nice to see her again. She made a promise to herself to see her more often now that she knew where she was. But maybe...just maybe, her vacation could be extended by a bit. If Lynn was here, she would try to stay as long as she could; not that her duties in Konoha could be put off forever. But for a little while, she could...

"Just go down a few streets, past the Dungeon Dice Monsters game shop, and you'll be back at Solomon's game shop. Tell the old man Lynn says hello, would you?" She laughed again, pointing in the general direction she needed to go.

"Take care of yourself, all right? Don't get too caught up with all of this freaky dueling as you call it." She added, kissing Sakura's forehead.

"Will do!" Sakura assured her, "And you _really _need to write more often."

She kicked off of the rooftop, carrying herself down into the street where she got moving again.

Things were taking an interesting turn, Lynn thought, if she had to say so herself. First, she found out Sakura was in Domino City. Second, she was staying at the pathetic game shop ran by that stubborn old man.

She licked her lips, finding the whole thing rather entertaining.

_Too bad I can't be there to see his reaction…_ She thought as she stood up, a sadistic smirk on her lips. _This is going to be more fun than I've had in a long time._

* * *

Solomon arranged his cards again, dusting the shelves as he moved around. It had been a quiet day, so he reasoned it was a good one to get the shop back in order. He heard the door open, punctuated by the tell-tale ring of the bell attached to it.

"Hello!" He remarked, speaking before he turned around, "How can I help you…Oh! Sakura! There you are! Where's the fire, missy?" He smiled, offering her a glass of water as she tried to catch her breath.

She turned to Solomen after she caught her breath and quickly stated, "My sister, Lynn, says hi." Sakura smiled as she spoke, more out of the great relief of finally having found her sister and reconnected then actually delivering her message.

Solomon felt his blood run cold at that name. He cleared his throat, using the fraction of a second to compose himself. No use, he told himself, getting mad about the past.

Sakura looked back up again, glancing around, trying to find Yugi and his friends, but she had no idea if they were back or not...she felt her blood go cold at the thought, though--she had no guarantee they hadn't gotten caught back up into one of those freaky duels. And even if they were...she really couldn't do much from where she was.

"Solomon-san…they…they did get back, right?"

"I see. Your sister, huh? So, she's back in the city, eh?" He sighed, speaking to himself before telling her, "Well, I'm glad to hear you've reunited with your sister. I'm sure it's been quite some time. And yes, Yugi and the others are in the living room if you wish to join them. Go right ahead and make yourself at home, Sakura."

He turned his back to her, pretending that he was busy cleaning, but he really just wanted to make sure she didn't see how angry he got at the mere mention of the red head's name.

Sakura hesitated before she walked away--he may have kept his poker face, so to speak, but honestly, she could feel the rage pulsing off of him in waves. It had been a long time since she had felt anger that acute from a normal human with no shinobi training. But, given he was trying so hard to keep it from her, she couldn't very well pry...

She stepped away from the counter and into the living room.

"Sakura-chan!" Came Yugi's voice from the door way. "There you are. I was beginning to think you got lost or something!"

Sakura smiled awkwardly, "Hey, there! And yeah…there are just so many streets! I must have taken a wrong turn."

"Hey, come and join us!" Joey replied.

Tristan waved her over, motioning for her to sit between him and another male she didn't recognize. He was fairly tall, black hair in a ponytail, red and black outfit…her eyes fell automatically and almost maliciously on him. But she quickly reminded herself that new didn't mean bad in the way it did at home. '_Different place_,' she told herself, '_very different rules_.'

"This is Duke Devlin, creator and owner of Dungeon Dice Monsters." Tristan told her as she extended her hand to the man.

He replied in kind, thinking she really was very pretty. But there was already so much competition for woman in the group that he thought it best not to add to it.

"It's very nice to meet you." Sakura told him as they pulled back away from each other.

"Nice to meet you, Sakura." Duke smiled, "I'm another one of Yugi's friends. He told me all about you. Nice tackling Joey." He laughed; the blond in question quickly rushed to his own defense but wound up blushing a shade of red that had the entire group laughing.

In the resultant silence that lasted only about three seconds, as everyone caught their breath, though, the kunoichi realized she felt something in the air that she didn't like. She expanded her chakra, trying to find the source and was shocked when she realized what it was: Lynn's chakra on her skin…She absently shifted on her hip, trying to shake some of the feeling off without being noticed.

She hadn't realized how far she had tensed until the glass broke in her hand. Shards cut into her palm, but she didn't feel it over the overwhelming surge of wrongness in the air.

A collective gasp rose from the room as Yugi cried, "Sakura-chan! Are you okay?"

She shook her head, trying to force herself to concentrate. She didn't even see Tea slip from the room and into the kitchen where the first aid kit was kept. The pinkette quickly swept up the glass and disposed of it in a nearby trashcan.

"Sorry about that. I must have gotten distracted and gripped a little too hard."

Tea rushed into the room, a red and white kit held in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Tristan asked, obviously concerned.

"Don't worry. I'm fine." Sakura told her, holding up her palm. Though it was still streaked with blood, there wasn't even so much as a scar to suggest there had ever been a wound.

That definitely stilled the group. But given she was a ninja, maybe it was just natural that things like that didn't faze her.

"Distracted?" Tristan laughed again. "That's an understatement."

Sakura smiled, using his downplay to her advantage. She really didn't want them to worry, and given the day as a whole had been rather trying, she was sure they didn't need one more thing added to their lists of things to stress about.

But, Duke, on the other hand, was surprised as all hell. He didn't know much about Sakura, and neither did the others in that case, but for someone to pretty much come out of something like that unscathed… it was like she wasn't human or something.

As Sakura turned to make more small talk, though, she caught Yugi's eyes. She could keep her game face, but the eyes were the most expressive part of the body. And based on his slight hesitation, she knew he had understood that she wanted to talk to him later.

And, beside him, the Pharaoh, a disembodied, invisible hologram, felt a shiver pass through his spine. She couldn't see him…but it was like she was looking directly at him…Yugi glanced up at him, but Yami just smiled reassuringly. They would talk later, when they had some privacy.

But something still had the ancient spirit on edge. Something was wrong, something was clearly on her mind. However, she also clearly didn't want to bother Yugi with it at the moment. Frustrated that he couldn't simply talk to her himself, he disappeared back into the labyrinth of the puzzle.

The gang, mostly oblivious to the silent exchanges between Yugi, Sakura, and Yami, sat back down and helped themselves to drinks as they talked about dueling and told Sakura stories of Duelest Kingdom and some of the other crazy duels they had been in over the years.

"So," Duke commented suddenly, "I heard Queenie's back in town."

"Since when?" Tea asked.

"A few days ago, I think. The media hasn't quite gotten wind of it, yet."

"Greeeeaaattt…" Joey sighed, rolling his eyes, "One more thing to worry about."

"Miss Queen of Dueling herself, Lynn Haruno." Duke continued. "Come to find out, she's living with Seto Kaiba, dating him. Rumor has it they might be getting married."

"Just what this town needs," Tea commented sarcastically, "Two maniacs."

Sakura's face twisted up slightly with confusion, but she quickly smoothed her features over again.

"You okay, Sakura-chan?" Yugi asked, having seen it before she could hide it. "Do you know Lynn or something? Come to think of it…you two do have the same name…"

"Are you two related? Boy, do I feel bad for you…" Joey trailed off.

Sakura wanted to ask why, and her immediate next reaction was to lie. But she quickly caught herself; this wasn't the shinobi world. It didn't hurt her, or them, to know…

"Yeah…She's my…uh…sister. She...uh...disappeared a while back. I really don't remember much about her and today was the first time we talked in a while...in years...really."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Yugi replied, his hand coming down gently on her back in an attempt to comfort her.

Sakura ran her tongue across her suddenly too-dry lips. This whole thing was beginning to make more sense, but it was also getting more confusing. For a flicker of a second, her mind turned back to Tsunade...she would have to extend her vacation, it seemed. Then again, Konoha didn't need her at the moment, and she imagined Tsunade would understand. Something was amiss, and she needed to find out what it was.

Her sister's aura had been different, that much was clear. And it hadn't been different in a good way, either...What on earth had been happening a world away from Konoha?

"Please excuse me." Sakura stated as she rose from her chair, "I'm a little thirsty."

No one mentioned that they had plenty of soda and water on the table.

"Man…that's gotta be tough." Tristan stated as she disappeared into the kitchen.

Tea nodded; she had a feeling their first encounter hadn't gone over well. Sighing, she spared a glance at Yugi and inquired, "You okay, Yugi?"

"Yeah." He replied, "I'm just thinking about how things are gonna change now."

"Lynn isn't allowed here still, right, Yug?" Joey asked, remembering the very last time the red head had walked into the Game Shop.

Yugi nodded in confirmation, thinking the same thing.

* * *

Sakura bit into her thumb, letting copper flood her tongue before she pulled back and preformed a set of seals. Her hand came down lightly on the ground, and a small cloud of white vapor exploded from the tile. It quickly faded to reveal a small hawk, who happily chirped in recognition as it hopped onto her wrist and up her arm before settling on her shoulder.

Sakura purred back to it, scratching the back of his head gently. She cooed sweetly to it for a few moments before entrusting the tiny hawk with a message.

It chirped, assuring her in its own way that it would be delivered. And with that, it flew through a nearby open window. Until she heard back from Tsunade, there was nothing Sakura could do except hold out.

* * *

"You think someone should go check on her?" Duke finally asked, glancing at the clock.

"Check on who?" Sakura asked, reappearing with a glass of water.

"So, what's this about Lynn, now?" She asked as she took a seat, trying to keep her voice light and buoyant. She really needed them to keep talking; it was the only source of information she had.

She knew so little: Lynn was a duelist now, her love interest had an intense and obsessive rivalry with Yugi, and no one seemed to like either of them. Seto, _that_ was understandable... He was a bit too cold, a bit too jagged and a little too vicious for polite civilization. But she didn't know his circumstances and therefore couldn't very well judge him.

But she knew Lynn...and nothing in her past explained her sudden chill and ice. But maybe something from one of them could.

Apparently, after Lynn met Kaiba, it was like sudden attraction, like she had a thing for bad guys. They started seeing each other more often, which was a surprise all its own because they never thought Kaiba had a heart, let alone had an interest in women, since he holed himself up in KaibaCorp. Lynn started to develop his attitude, which could explain the sudden coldness Sakura had felt when she met up with the red head. A while later, Lynn said she was grateful Solomen and Yugi let her stay with them, even though her tone didn't reflect her words, she was moving in with Kaiba and wouldn't come back.

The room was silent for a few moments before Yugi went on to say there was a woman causing a sensation in America and soon was dubbed the title of Queen of Dueling. Everyone kept saying how the queen and king should meet up and get together and become the duo of dueling.

Yugi openly scoffed the idea. As did Yami, who was listening beside the teen with a memory of the incident so vivid it seemed impossible it hadn't been just yesterday. Going on, Tea continued to say Lynn must have come back into town when Sakura came, which made everyone start to wonder if this was really just a coincidence.

Sakura sat and listened to them talk for a while longer as she tried to process what had just happened. She hadn't known Lynn well enough as a child to really say what her type of guy was, but given that she herself had a think for dangerous men, she couldn't really be surprised that Lynn liked the icy ones. She tossed it over for a little while longer in her head...there must have been something else going on...no one just up and turned into a complete opposite of what they had been...Goodness...this was getting complicated...and that was before you added ancient spirits, fights for your soul, and a crazy business man to the equation.

Sakura shook her head as she quickly undid the lacing on her bodice down an inch. It was suddenly a little too hot for her liking in the room. She fidgeted slightly, pulling her hair up in a vain attempt to distract herself.

Really, that, too, was shinobi instinct; if you could look like you were fine without having to put any thought into it, you could focus mentally without drawing attention to yourself.

Although everyone in the room noticed her fidget, they didn't blame her. In fact, they outright ignored it, as if they could sense that was what she wanted.

She was beginning to miss the simplicity of life in Konoha...she wondered if Naruto or Kakashi had even given a thought to her since she left. But then she remembered she was well on her way to making valuable and rewarding friendships right there. And even for all the heartbreak and pain she knew that Lynn was going to bring before things got better, at least now she knew. That had to be worth something.

"Hey, would you guys mind if I ran upstairs and showered? I think that jet lag thing is finally getting to me."

Yugi smiled, telling her that everything she needed would be up there.

"Great! Thanks." She replied as she disappeared through the hallway.

She waited until she turned the corner to sprint up the stairs and seal herself in the sterile bathroom. But it wasn't until she was actually beneath the stream of hot water that she let her own tears fall silently from her eyes.

She didn't know what she was going to do. But she also found immense comfort in the fact that she didn't have to decide in that moment. She wasn't sure how long she stayed under the water before she actually shampooed and washed, but the house was quiet by the time she stepped out in a nightgown.

But only Yugi knew that this was time for the pinkette to be alone, to let everything about her sister sink in, to let her own self break down in private. The teen with tri-colored hair didn't let on he understood how the pinkette felt and just escorted his friends to the door, saying good night.

He sighed to himself as he closed the door; he knew that Sakura was strong. But even solid rock had a weak point that could be exploited. And in his eyes, Lynn was that one thing that might just make his friend crumble.

Very few people made him angry. But Kaiba and Lynn were right up there on his very short list…

His partner appeared beside him, quietly telling him that getting mad would accomplish nothing. Yugi agreed with a sharp nod of his head as he walked back into the living room.

'That took quite a turn.' Yami stated as the teen began to clean up.

'Yeah…hearing that Lynn was Sakura-chan's sister sure was a shock.'

'And who knows what the future holds for us now that they've been reunited.' Yami replied.

'Yeah…' Yugi sighed, 'I have a feeling we'll be running into Kaiba a lot more. And if Lynn is around…I just don't want Sakura-chan to stress out.'

Yami smiled; his Aibou's ability to make friends, and close ones at that, quickly was contagious.

'Well, that's where you come in. You're a people person, Yugi. I'm sure she'll enjoy her stay.'

'You might be right about that but I haven't counted you out, yet. You're helping me.'

The spirit chuckled as the door upstairs opened, signaling Sakura had finished her shower. Yugi just smiled as the Pharaoh disappeared as he headed up the stairs.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five: Day Two**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Yu-gi-oh, or Haruno Lynn!**_

"Did you enjoy your shower?" Yugi asked.

Sakura nodded, though without conviction.

"Well, grandpa's already asleep. You can sleep wherever you'd like. We have plenty of extra blankets and pillows, and the couch is pretty comfortable once you get settled into it. But, if you'd like, you can camp out with me in my room."

He mentally slapped himself for not wording it a bit better. But he had a good feeling that there wouldn't be anything weird or awkward between them. He really didn't want her alone for her first night, anyway. He knew that if he was in a new place that he probably wouldn't remember immediately upon waking.

Sakura toyed with the lace hem of her nightgown as she considered his words. She really wanted to be strong in front of them; especially given she hadn't even been with them twenty four hours. She didn't want to be the damsel in distress…she had had _more_ than enough of _that_ in her genin years. But something about his offer was too comforting to turn aside.

"That would be nice...It's weird to be alone for a night, you know...well, no...I mean...just...when you work where I do, most of your nights are spent with your teammates in a forest because it's...safe...so I don't really remember what it's like to not have someone next to me..."

She shut herself up pretty quickly, laughing bitterly to herself. She certainly was failing at the only objective she had set out for herself to complete.

"Great! To be honest, I was about to ask how things worked back home for you. But looks like you beat me there!" He laughed.

He was careful not to let it show on his face, but he could tell how tired she was. Heck, he himself was falling asleep on his feet. He turned away just as she clapped her shaking hands behind her back with a measure of well-hidden emotion.

"The mattress by the end of the bed is all yours." He told her as he slipped into the bathroom to change.

By the time he had gotten back, she was beneath the blankets.

"Good night, Sakura." He told her as he climbed into his own bed, pulling the blanket over his shoulders.

She replied in kind as he closed his eyes. But he heard her…not quite tossing or turning but just moving, for several minutes after. He was just starting to worry when he heard her breathing level out; a sure sign she was asleep. He fell into the same void a few moments later. She would never know it, and she wouldn't know if Yugi did either...it was natural to train yourself not to make even so much as a peep while you slept...silence was your ally...but that didn't mean that in her dark dreams she didn't sometimes cry...and those silver lines traced small rivers across her pale face as she slept.

It was some hours later that Yami appeared again from the recesses of the Puzzle. It was a bit of a routine for them. People had, on more than one occasion, broken in during the middle of the night in some insane attempt to steal their God cards. But it looked like it would be a normal night.

But just as he was about to recede back into the puzzle, he heard something…his ruby eyes turned to Sakura. She looked to be in pain, a cold sweat was sticking to her pale skin, and tears had clearly run down her face at some point in the darkness of the night…He knew it was disrespectful to watch a woman sleeping, but he couldn't help but want to reach out to her…However, he had no physical means with which to do it…

Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, though, Sakura was crying for someone to reach out and pull her from the dark…

_Something icy fell across the back of her neck, a kind of cold breath that was more than just a physical chill...it was something that literally made her go cold to the core of her soul. She turned her head over her shoulder, wanting to find it, and at the same time terrified of what she might see...but there was nothing there...  
_  
_She turned back, nearly colliding with Sasuke. She opened her mouth to say something, to brush it aside as a funny accident when she realized...he didn't...quite look right...his eyes, she realized sickly...were pitch black...She stepped back, her hip impacting against something that caved slightly...She spun...a scream ripped through her throat even before the ground beneath her caved and sent her plunging into darkness lit with hungry red eyes..._

She bolted up, her hand coming across her mouth automatically to stifle the sound of her gasps. She shot a glance at the teenager not more than three feet from her, grateful she hadn't woken him. She stood up silently, slipping down the stairs and into the kitchen.

She didn't know the Pharaoh was watching, making a mental note to himself to mention her fitful sleep to his partner when he was up and around as he faded back into his home of traps and shadows.

A level below them, Sakura had curled up in a dining room chair, her knees drawn up to her chest as she tried to push the dream away. For the worlds of good sleep had done her, she still felt unlike herself and wondered if perhaps those were the lingering effects of the duel the previous day…

She looked up, realizing that dawn had just started to bleed its pale light across the horizon…

"Good morning, Sakura-chan." Solomon stated as he appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Oh, good morning!" Sakura replied, mildly surprised that she hadn't noticed him before. But, as pathetic as it sounded, she was happy that someone else was just awake.

Solomon smiled back at her as he set a pot of coffee onto a hot plate. He had certainly been shocked to see a head of pink hair in his kitchen so early. But she was a ninja, and he imagined they were up early quite a bit.

"Even on vacation you're an early riser." He added, "Would you like some breakfast?"

"No, thank you, Solomon-san. I appreciate it, but I typically don't eat this early. However, I think I will go for my morning run."

"Alright. Don't wear yourself out!" He replied as she walked back up the stairs and into the bathroom. As much as he would have liked for the pink-haired female to sleep in a bit more, he imagined it would take her a day or two, if ever, for her to get comfortable enough not rising with the sun to get an hour or two more in a bed. But he could certainly see why Tsunade was so proud of her.

Sakura listened to him humming quietly to himself downstairs as she pulled on a pair of biker shorts and a tank top that was half a size too big. Not the most flattering thing for her modest chest, but it was roomy and comfortable.

She slipped back down the stairs, told him she wouldn't be long, and walked through the door.

* * *

Lynn yawned, stretching as she opened her eyes. She wasn't surprised to find she was waking up alone…again. She had gotten used to it even if it still stung to wake up alone every day…He never even kissed her good-bye in the mornings…

She shook her head. Only one month after Battle City and he was onto his next big thing. She shrugged the whole idea off; Seto Kaiba was his own enigma even to his lover.

Pulling on a robe, she walked to the massive window and pulled the curtains aside. She then stepped into their shared bathroom and slipped into a hot shower.

And as she let the water run over her, she realized just how much she had changed. Ever since she had begun to date Kaiba, she found herself sleeping in, and every night, when she climbed into their bed, she simply melted. Then again, she had no missions, no hospital shifts, nothing to wake for. A simple life, she thought as she stepped out again, wrapping a towel around her torso as she walked back into the room.

'Speak of the devil…' She thought with a smirk as she spotted a head of pink hair in the street below, jogging.

Apparently, her younger sister still didn't get the meaning of vacation. But she wasn't surprised.

'Looks like I'm going to have to take a walk around town.' She thought as she dressed, pulling a leather coat over her arms, tucking her cell into her jeans pocket and pushing a pair of sunglasses over her eyes.

* * *

Sakura finished her routine (five-mile jog, thousand sit ups, two hundred squats, and five hundred push-ups) in record time. It just under an hour, she was stepping back into the Motou's kitchen.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" Yugi smiled in greeting.

"Hey, there!" She replied as she stepped over to the sink and refilled her water bottle before sitting down.

He wasn't sure what had changed overnight, but she looked light years better, he thought to himself as he watched her tip back her daily vitamin.

"So, what should we do today, Yugi?" She asked.

"How about we show you around the town some more? I think Joey's sister Serenity is tagging along today so you can meet her. Oh, and our friend Mai. Tea should be here in a few minutes so that should give you plenty of time to get ready, Sakura-chan. That is, if you're up for it." He replied as he rinsed his breakfast dishes.

Sakura smiled; his enthusiasm really was contagious. He could have made brushing her teeth exciting.

"Sounds great! Let me run upstairs and change." She responded.

Yugi couldn't help but smile at Sakura's reaction to not only seeing more of what Domino held, but also to meeting new people. Seemed like the pinkette was more than outgoing and would be up for anything; the excitement behind her sparkling emerald eyes made it obvious.

He turned away, determined to hide his blush as he finished putting away the dishes.

Sakura stood up and sprinted up the stairs and into his room. She quickly pulled an outfit from her bag and slipped into the bathroom. She shimmied out of her workout clothes, and slid into a pair of dark leggings. Over them, she pulled an off-the-shoulder red mini on. She then slid her feet back into a pair of low-heeled, knee-high boots. She glanced in the mirror, deciding that her hair was fine down and she applied a light coat of lip gloss to her mouth and a fine dusting of emerald eye shadow over her eyelids. It took only one swipe of deodorant under each arm and she jogged back down the stairs.

Yugi rattled off the day's plans as Solomon handed her cup of coffee. They would meet the rest of the group at the clock tower in the middle of town and proceed from there.

She thanked Solomon for the coffee as she listened, and was surprised to find it was exactly the way she and Tsunade usually shared it. She wondered if her mentor and Solomon had done the same…

She was just mentioned how great it was when the door opened and Tea popped in. She greeted them, telling them she had just talked to Joey and that they were still on.

The kunoichi smiled, feeling a reassuring familiarity in the easy way they came and went from each other's houses. It reminded her of her cell back home and the way they were constantly barging in on one another.

As the two caught up on the morning's events, Sakura scanned the newspaper. There was mention of some big new, but still classified, project from Kaiba Corp., an announcement about a duelist named Mai Valentine (she wondered if it was the same Mai Yugi had mentioned early and really it made perfect sense that a duelist would know other duelists), and a story on a new exhibit at a nearby museum.

As she sipped at her coffee, her mind finally got to working again. She would have to confront Lynn sometime sooner or later and likely sometime _sooner_. But it didn't seem that it would be anytime soon, and she had just requested a mission's leave from Tsunade to check it out. Essentially, she had extended her vacation indefinitely. But if something were to come up, she could be back to Konoha in close to a flash. Tsunade knew that and given the peacefulness of the entire place, she didn't foresee that happening. And her vacation had been ridiculously long to start with, so she didn't really think she would need it. But on the off chance she did, she would be ready. She also made sure to request a line of credit so that she wouldn't be a burden to the Motou family; she could stay at a hotel or something if it came to the extension.

She suddenly remembered she had forgotten something and quickly excused herself back up to the room that had her suitcase and the like in it. The kunoichi quickly retrieved a few weapons and tucked them into the holsters in her boots. She could almost bet that she wouldn't need them, but if her luck was anything like her mentor's, she needed to do the exact opposite of what her mind wanted her to do.

She also took her only real purse, a shoulder bag, from the suitcase along with her credit card. The shinobi nations were still very hush hush and there was no exchange rate for their currency. So Tsunade had given her a small line of credit...well, small by their standards. In the Motou's currency, it was a small fortune. In a way, it was comforting, though, to have the funds to take care of herself.

With that, she hurried back down the stairs and into the kitchen and the three of them headed out.

* * *

The clock tower really was quite close, and it took the small group almost no time to get there. Naturally, the rest of their cluster of friends was there plus two: a brunette wearing a summery tank top and shorts outfit and a busty blonde that reminded Sakura faintly of her shishou.

"Hey, guys!" Tristan called, waving them over.

"What's up?" Tea asked they approached them.

"Not a whole lot." Joey replied, taking his sister by the arm and turning to Sakura, "This is my sister, Serenity."

Sakura extended her hand, "It's very nice to meet you."

"Likewise." The girl responded. "Joey told me a lot about you. Starting from where you tackled him."

"Oh…that…um…." Sakura trailed off, trying to think of a decent explanation.

"I think it's kind of funny." Serenity continued, completely oblivious to the sigh of relief the kunoichi had released.

"Your hair color is really pretty." The younger Wheeler added.

"Oh, thank you. But your hair is gorgeous, really." Sakura responded. The girl clearly took amazing care of it, if its length and shine were any indication.

As Joey moved onto introducing Mai and the kunoichi, Yugi found his mind drifting back to his kitchen…When Sakura had disappeared up the stairs, the conversation he and Tea had been having quickly turned…

_"Hey, Yugi, you don't think we'll run into Lynn today, do you?" The brunette dancer couldn't help but note that Lynn had taken up Kaiba's frustrating habit of showing up at the worst possible time. _

_ The teenager sighed, raking his fingers through his tri-colored hair. _

_ "I hate to admit it, but I was wondering the same thing, too. I sure hope not. That's the last thing Sakura-chan needs right now. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Besides, I'm sure Sakura-chan can take care of herself." He replied with a smile. _

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice in the back of his mind. It reminded him of the times when his friends still hadn't been aware of the Pharaoh's presence. Over the years, after solving the Millennium Puzzle, he had grown used to not only hearing Yami's voice in his head, but also to keeping up his conversations with his friends and not space out. _That_ was always embarrassing…and that was before his friends knew about the Pharaoh.

Yami reminded him that this was his day; he should forget about the elder Haruno and have fun with his friends.

'Thanks, Yami, I will.' He promised as Mai finally spoke up.

"So, are we going to stand around or are we going to have some fun?"

"Mai's right, guys, let's get moving." Joey replied as they got walking.

Sakura smiled as she watched the blonde beauty and the Brooklyn duelist exchange playful banter in the form of some pretty hefty trash talk. But even if they wouldn't admit it, there was some pretty heavy sexual tension between the two of them. And, really, only Tea seemed to notice, if her meaningful glance at the kunoichi was any indication.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, when she felt a familiar presence skirt her skin. She resisted the urge to spin on her heel and demand that Lynn simply show herself. But that was a little odd even by shinobi standards and definitely odd by theirs. She tried not to tense, tried to keep up her end of the conversation, but she wanted to keep close tabs on the red-head. And with so many people and so much energy swirling around them already, that took up quite a chunk of her focus

Lynn's energy was bordering on hostile...and in the shinobi world that was as good as an outright threat. But she couldn't make a move here...not many people knew Konoha even existed, and the city's closeness in its building prevented her from using her strength. And with so many civilians, projectile weapons were almost out of the question...

Sakura brought her thumb to her mouth in such a way to suggest that she was a nail biter. But in reality she nipped the flesh sharply to draw blood. It wasn't much, but if, in a pinch, she needed a summoning, she was going to have it. With that, she let her hand drop back to her side, balled in a loose fist to hide the wound, and continued her conversation.

* * *

The red-head in question was sitting not far off, her phone flipped open as she scanned her inbox for new text messages. And she felt the air shift, too. Smirking, she shut her phone and tucked it back into her jacket.

'Impressive.' She thought as she leaned back, clearly waiting for something. She wasn't leaking a lot of chakra; in fact, most of it was shielded. She just wanted Sakura to know she was around.

The wind changed, bringing the faint smell of blood to the red-head's nose. She glanced over her shoulder at them, the position of the fountain she was sitting on preventing them from seeing her.

'Preparing herself already…' She laughed softly; that girl knew what she was doing. But Lynn wasn't a greenhorn, either.

Her phone suddenly chimed, playing Adam Lambert's "For Your Entertainment." She retrieved it, flipped it open and brought it to her ear.

"Hello, Seto." She began, absently glancing at her nails. "Yeah, I'm tailing her right now. Of course she was easy to find; she's the only one in the city with pink hair." Her cheeks flushed a particularly vibrant shade of red with his next comment, but she replied coolly, "There will be plenty of time for that. And, yeah, I'll let you know."

She closed her phone again as she plotted her next move; in this crowd, throwing a weapon wasn't a great idea. And with her luck, she's wind up behind bars of murder…assuming, of course, the police could actually _catch_ her…And using her strength to tear up the city she lived in was just plain stupid. Not to mention that Yugi and his friends would probably rush to Sakura's defense without ever realizing who they were dealing with. As much as she disliked them, she wasn't out to kill them and they weren't even her priority for that morning.

Smirking as she finally settled on a plan, she thought to herself, 'Let the games begin.'

* * *

Sakura tensed, feeling Lynn's chakra spike again. This was bad...she hadn't felt something like that in a very long time. And the closest thing she could equate it to was the Kyuubi's chakra. Lynn was up to something, and Sakura didn't like it one bit. She was starting to feel grateful for having not eaten breakfast. The concentration and amount of chakra she was putting out to keep tabs on the woman was making her sick.

Knowing what she knew of Lynn, the girl was one of the most balanced fighters out there. Her genjutsu skills, however good, though, wouldn't work against Sakura. But she needed to protect the others. And she couldn't do that if she was incapacitated first. Her hand came up instinctively and she let her nails dig deep enough into her skin to draw blood through her shirt. Pain was about the other thing she could rely on to prevent a genjutsu from grasping her mind.

She tried to move closer to the group, to allow her halo of chakra to encircle them. That was their best bet if Lynn did choose to try a genjutsu. The disruption in the immediate area would give Sakura the edge.

But it wasn't only genjutsu she had to worry about...the girl was a medical ninja, too. And Sakura knew intimately how deadly they were. A fight with a medical ninja was radically different than most: you never blocked with your wrist, for example, because to do so would expose the artery. And you almost never flipped because doing so revealed your stomach.

Worse, even, Lynn had the same training Sakura did. She could wield the brute strength of Tsunade. If it came to that, Sakura really wouldn't be able to do much to protect Yugi and his friends aside from a massive Shadow Clone strategy that would radically degrade her remaining chakra reserves. And, if things really could get any worse, doubtless Yugi and his friends would get caught in the mix in an attempt to protect her or each other.

Feeling another spike in her sister's chakra, Sakura spun on her heel. Absently, she reached for a dagger as her emerald eyes raked the crowd. That girl was close...almost a little too close...

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six: Clash **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Yu-gi-oh, or Haruno Lynn. ~.^**_

There was something in the air that didn't quite sit right with Yugi. The lids of his amethyst eyes drew down slightly in worry as he glanced at his friends. No one else seemed to be feeling it…

Yami replied that something was indeed amiss. There was something at work, he told him as he appeared by his side, that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Yugi turned to ask Sakura if she felt it, too. But one glance at her answered that question: she looked like she was about to be sick. And the way she looked like she was deliberately trying to cause herself pain was in no way reassuring.

"Sakura-chan, are you alright?" He asked quietly, not wanting to alarm or alert the rest of his friends.

Yami tensed beside his partner, the Eye of Horus appearing across his forehead. He felt it: a strong, malicious spiritual presence. Irrationally, he found himself wanting to dive in front of Sakura, to protect her from what was coming…But he had his partner to worry about, too…

Sakura pivoted on her heel, producing a dagger as she called out, "Let's stop playing games, Lynn!"

Across the street, the red-head smirked as she pulled her sunglasses off, her free hand sliding into her jacket and gripping a kunai. She wasn't able to implement her usual tactics, but she didn't have time to wait around. Her mind drifted back to Kaiba, the night before, when she had mentioned she would likely be taking a stroll in the city the next morning. What had he said again? Oh, yes…_'Just don't die on me.' _

'Don't worry, love, I have no intention of going anywhere.' She thought.

For a fraction of a second she wondered why she was doing what she was. She had practically raised Sakura, and they were far closer than most sisters because there was a dimension of maternal guidance between them. And she had sworn to protect her sister with her life…only now she was the threat to it. Why the sudden competition? The sudden animosity?

But she quickly brushed aside those thoughts. She wasn't the same kunoichi she had been, and she had already accepted that.

Her mind panned back to the battle: she couldn't use genjutsu with so many civilians around. And her strength had already been counted out. But she was a medical ninja, and had a fair repertoire of forbidden and forgotten jutsu beneath her belt. If her sister wasn't careful, she would learn that the hard way.

'Game start…' She thought to herself as she disappeared in a swirl of chakra and color.

"Well done, little sister, Tsunade certainly trained you well."

Her caustic voice materialized behind Sakura, although at that point she was moving so fast those around her without the keen eyes of a ninja saw only a streak of brilliant red appear behind their friend. And as her hair settled back against her shoulders, Sakura saw a black defect flash across her neck.

'A Curse mark…' Sakura thought breathlessly to herself…Naturally, thoughts of Orochimaru followed. Anger rose up so quickly she had almost no hope of suppressing it. That anger, however, was evaporated by the fire of the sheer hatred she felt engulf her. How _dare_ her _sister_, of all people, give into the temptation of power without effort. It was a downright damnation on the entire Haruno clan. And if that was so, then Sakura was fighting for her honor, too. That added a whole new dimension of tension to the battle.

Sakura spun on her heel, shoving Yugi aside in a bid to protect him. She kicked off of the ground, leaping a good ten feet into the air as her hands came up in a seal she knew that Lynn would recognize. But Lynn didn't know how vast the kunoichi's reserve was...if pushed too far, she would release the purple diamond mark on chest. There was five years worth of chakra pent up and just begging to be released.

As her chakra flew out into the air around her, a dense cloud of fog engulfed her, fading to reveal seven doppelgangers. They fell precisely in a perfect ring around her friends, kunai held at the ready. And the 'tack' of their boots on the pavement would have been more than enough to assure Lynn that this was no illusion, but a genuine replication.

"Stay where you are!" Sakura cried to her friends as she hit the ground, a needle gleaming in her hands. But instead of throwing it, she spun it around and promptly sank it into the palm of her hand, drawing blood.

Her hands blurred again and she gave an almost indistinguishable cry of rage as she slammed her palm against the pavement. More fog...and...howling...As the vapor cleared around her, she crossed her arms across her chest, smirking. One of the large mastiffs rubbed, almost cat-like, against her legs in a silent greeting. But the moment its eyes fell on Lynn, the happy yelp became a vicious growl.

"Release the dogs of the war..." Sakura breathed more to herself than anyone else. There wasn't any going back now, and she knew it. Her mind had started reeling to the worst possible conclusion from the moment she had sensed Lynn: she might not make it home alive. But it wouldn't matter if she saved her friends...If Lynn attempted her super strength, the clones would negate that with blows of their own. And given each of them was a perfect replication of herself, they had her highly advanced evasion skills. Even Lynn, she reasoned, didn't stand a chance of harming _them_…

"Sakura-chan!" Yugi cried out in alarm from behind her, "What are you doing here, Lynn?" Confusion…that was all he felt. In the fraction of a second it took him to realize Lynn was there at all, Sakura had already preformed several jutsu. And Lynn looked just as ready for a brawl.

"Stay out of this, little boy. This is between me and her, and you have your own problems to deal with." Lynn snapped back.

"What do you mean by dat?" Joey demanded as he pushed Serenity behind him, Duke and Tristan flanking him and ushering Mai and Tea behind them.

"She means me, puppy."

Cold laughter filled the dead space as Kaiba appeared in a flourish of white and silver. The two offenders exchanged a passion filled glance, momentarily overriding the battle tension with that of the sexual nature.

Sakura's attention wavered dangerously. Her guard dropped with his icy laughter and insulting sentence, her chakra fluxed past its stabilization point, and she inhaled sharply.

'This…is about a duel…?' She thought irrationally, feeling her inner fire dim significantly. She had been pitted against her own sister for the sake…of a grudge match?

Yugi felt his own anger rise up as the blood visibly drained from her face. _Nothing _was worth causing this kind of pain to another human.

"If it's a duel you want, Kaiba, then you've got one!" He cried, signaling the return of the Pharaoh.

Just as Sakura was turning to call something to him, Lynn cried out, extending her arm in a sharp movement. Something purple lashed out, and Sakura barely managed a clumsy evasion of the snake that shot along her arm. She instantly recognized it, though, as one of Orochimaru's summoning; and one with a potent hemotoxin. Even a glancing blow of its fangs would have her hemorrhaging internally. And given her already low chakra reserves from her Shadow Clone maneuver, if one of her friends was injured, she wouldn't have enough energy to treat them both…

"You want to play with fire, Sakura?" The red head cried, "Then prepare to get burned!"

All involved were oblivious to the growing crowd; they assumed it was a duel given the very motion of the girls and their jutsu. But it was their odd chatter as Sakura leapt away from another summoning that was promptly shredded by her ninken that made her realize she now had no alternative to her last resort plan. Getting into this battle alone was risking the confidentiality of Konoha…She found Yami's eyes as they shifted back to the duel. She was clear in her message, and he nodded as he laid down his next card. She would take care of herself on all fronts…medical or otherwise.

However, as she turned her attention back to the battle, she saw something in Lynn that touched her…her sister was staring in horror at her murdered summon, her eyes wide and moist with unshed tears. The red-head, Sakura realized, was even closer to her snakes than Orochimaru…Lynn's eyes snapped up, her silent hiss clear to Sakura: 'You'll pay for that…you and your damned dogs."

Yami glanced over his shoulder at the sound of her boots contacting the ground as she came down. There was something he couldn't pin down about her that was driving his senses wild. But whether good or bad he didn't have time to consider as Kaiba played his next card.

Sakura rose fluidly, but as she did she felt cold steel press against her neck. Her eyes widened, but instinct kicked in even more quickly. She spun away, forcing a spike of chakra through the flesh of her back towards Lynn's stomach. The movement deeply lacerated the nape of her neck, and whether her chakra scalpel had contacted Lynn or not, she didn't know.

Viridian eyes snapped up again. She centered them on Lynn, but they quickly flickered to the group of civilians and individuals that stood a chance of getting hurt. With that much chakra, she would be able to protect them. However, it didn't come without a cost. She wouldn't age the way Tsunade did because she wasn't forcing her cells to replicate. But she would completely destroy her keirakukei network for at least a few days. That would mean that things like healing and jutsu would be damn near impossible. It was still possible though...but making a synthetic network would be chakra-exhaustive, too...she was in a serious Catch-22. But it was _possible_...

As she came back down on her feet, she clamped her hand over the laceration. She had already healed the artery, but she had left the wound itself untouched. If Lynn thought she was seriously weakened, she might get reckless.

But her sister's sudden viciousness simply confirmed what she already knew: there was no other way. Her hand came up, and she tore her shirt off. Beneath it was standard shinobi attire: a black sheath that covered her breasts, finished with fishnet below her fifth rib. A single strap wound around her arm.

Her hand came down, her thumb pressing against the flesh of her cleavage before dropping to her side. And it wiped away carefully applied latex foundation to reveal a small purple diamond. Smirking, she tossed her head back as it began to grow, swirling purple lace overtaking her body before fading back to nothingness.

The pink-haired kunoichi's hand snapped up, moving with speed and precision that belied her rank as a mere chunin. Lynn knew the jutsu: it was one used by ANBU Black Ops to erase the minds of large groups of people. And she recognized the one that followed: a moving genjutsu illusion that would wrap around them, shielding them from the prying public eye. But, like a one way mirror, they would be able to see the civilians.

"What was that about playing with fire, Lynn?" She demanded as she pulled her fist back. It was literally glowing with chakra, and she gave an almost inhuman cry as she charged her sister. If she could, she was going to finish this in one blow. If she missed, however, she would be in serious trouble: it would be difficult to regulate that massive a backlash of chakra. If she released it, she would destroy buildings for miles, and as they went down, they would take others with them. The death count would be in the thousands. But if she tried to contain it, the bones in her arm and fingers would shatter. And without the ability to heal them immediately, she would have to perform field surgery on herself. But it was all she had…

Lynn felt the shock of her little sister's movements like an electrical current through her stomach. Her hands flew up, chakra spinning around her as inky black streaks and poisonous purple spatters overtook her skin. A fraction of a second before Sakura would have contacted, Lynn disappeared, her after image fading.

Stilled by utter surprise, Sakura had no time to think as her fist collided with the ground, though through sheer force of will she managed to withdraw most of her chakra at the cost of several fractures along the bones in her arm.

Almost appropriately, the sudden tremor of the earth as a crater five feet deep and fifteen feet across bit into the ground, missing the foundation of a massive building by mere meters, signified the end of Yami's duel as he again devastated his rival's Life Points.

But, by the time he registered the small quake and turned around, Lynn had made her final move, as well: Sakura, unable to recover her senses and force enough chakra into her legs to evade her had taken a solid hit to her stomach that dropped her soundly to her knees.

Really, the red-head, seeing her sister fall to the ground, wanted nothing more in the world that to stay behind, to make sure she was alright. But even through her very real and even suffocating emotions, she sensed the reckless rage in the younger Haruno. No, she realized, she needed to leave. Her best bet was to wait, to let them all settle, to let the battle haze and blood lust subside.

She turned on her heels, boots clicking faintly on the ground as she motioned for Kaiba to follow. She knew he would…that was…well, their bond and their damnation…they would follow each other into hell…They loved each other…maybe too much…She pushed aside her thoughts as they disappeared into the crowd. There would be time to think later.

By the time Sakura looked up, they were gone even beyond her ability to sense. She considered following, finding them and finishing it. But a second, violent fit of coughing convinced her that even with moderate injuries she wouldn't be able to defeat Lynn…Her arm, too, bore the deep purple splotches that were clearly recognizable, even by shinobi with no medical background or experience, as a physical symptom of a damaged charka network.

"Sakura! Are you alright?" But it wasn't Yami's voice the broke her concentration; it was the reassuring weight of his hands on her shoulders.

She glanced up over her shoulder at the Pharaoh's concern. However, something in their mutual gaze of uncertainty stopped them both. She turned away, unwilling, or maybe unable, to let him see the raw hurt and anger on her face. And he didn't move, afraid of getting closer…it had been so long since anyone but his Aibou had provoked such concern in him…or such rage over their enemy. That thought…scared him. He retreated back to the puzzle. Even labyrinths and mystical traps were less complicated than his confused feelings. He would talk to his partner later…

The spell of the battle broke with a mutual cry from Tea and Serenity as the remaining members of the close knit pack sprinted to her side. But she didn't hear their questions, their pleas for her to say _something_. Was she hurt? Did she need help? Should they call someone? All of them went unanswered.

"Alright, guys, let's give her some room to breathe!" Yugi cried as he and Joey helped her to her feet.

He caught her eyes and smiled, "Let's go back home."

"But, Yuge, don't you think we should…"

The teenager quietly cut his friend off with a shake of his head. He, too, thought she should seek medical attention. But she had been clear in her preemptive refusal.

But there was something else tugging at the back of his mind…he knew something was bugging his darker half. But the ancient spirit was undeniable in his 'suggestion' to talk about it later. And, although Yugi desperately wanted to be there for the spirit that coexisted with him, he knew that they would have time to speak after he had had time to make their guest comfortable.

* * *

Sakura sat down at the kitchen table, telling them gently that she still needed to take care of a few injuries, adding that the procedure wasn't pretty and that they would probably like to wait in another room. She then slid her hand down to her boot and extracted a dagger.

Lynn's…No, she refused to think of _that _as her sister's. Her sister's chakra was…warmer, less jagged, and less _dangerous _than the chakra coursing through her system. But in releasing the cursemark, Lynn had infected her with chakra that was wrecking havoc on her already ruptured keirakukei network.

The kunoichi took a deep breath, slicing deeply into the flesh between two ribs. Her left hand, the only one with a functional chakra system, spun an orb of chakra that she pushed in through the wound, winding it back to draw the poisonous substance out of her cells. It was more difficult without two incisions, one for pushing the chakra in and another for drawing the toxic agent out, but it was still within her ability to complete.

However, by the time she was done, she found she was crying. But it wasn't pain from her wounds or even irrational tears of exhaustion…this was a pain that no medic could alleviate and a fatigue that no amount of sleep would cure…

Her sister had betrayed her…the sister who had practically raised her. And maybe, she thought, she had no right to feel that way because she had so nearly forgotten her. But guilt and uncertainty and frustration only added to the opaque trails running down her face.

She was wholly unprepared for the warmth of someone's hand in her own. She looked up, tear-moist eyes finding clear amethyst orbs. His hand was on her back now and he was gently holding her, giving her quiet permission to cry and _not _be judged. She didn't have to think before she buried her head against his shoulder and cried.

When her quiet sobs finally did fade back, he told her to go upstairs and get some sleep. It was said nicely enough, but, and maybe it was just her own automatic consent to the idea of temporary oblivion, it left little room for arguing.

"Thanks." She replied, giving him a watery smile as she stood up and disappeared through the hallway and up the stairs.

* * *

_She knew this smell…she knew it all too well, actually. You couldn't be a shinobi without it, and as a medic you only encountered more of it. Some people thought it smelled sweet; a simple observation, really, no feeling attached to it. You let go of a lot of feelings as a ninja…it kept you from going crazy, it kept you sane. Or you bottled those feelings up until you were alone and then you did what you wanted with them…but she had seen how that could eat a person from the inside out. Like Neji…but he was one of the luckier ones, really…he managed to reclaim himself…_

_ She shook her head. Those rambling thoughts would only distract her…distract her from the scent of blood. For a fraction of a second, she wondered why she wanted to focus on it…Oh, yes...that was it…because it meant danger was near…or had been, at least…_

_ She knew the crumpled heap at her feet was a body before she ever knelt down. She watched her hand come down to his neck, to check for a pulse. And she knew there would be no throb beneath her fingertips. She stood up, she saw her green eyes focus. _

_ She didn't like this…this jumping back and forth between her body and the endless sky somewhere over it, around it, behind it…It made her dizzy. _

_ She was dreaming…she had to be…unless it was a weird genjutsu. Could an illusion do that? Well, given that an eternity could be condensed into the blink of an eye with the Sharingan, she supposed weirder things had happened. But she didn't feel the urge to even try and break it…that…that should have worried her, she knew it should have. But even that realization failed to disturb her. _

_ She saw her own eyes fall back on the corpse at her feet. She knew who it was...or she thought she did…at least until the face changed and the hair color shifted and the open, lifeless eyes shimmered with new color…It was…or it had been Tsunade…and now it was Shizune…that was odd, she thought without emotion, very odd…Now it was Naruto…no, it was Sasuke…Ah, now it was Kakashi…Everyone she knew, everyone she loved…Or did she? Shouldn't she be crying, screaming? Raging? Something?_

_ She heard a small laugh, and she felt a shiver of attachment-less recognition. She knew it, but it didn't spark emotion in her. She simply followed automatically, through the black miasma and winding purple mists. Someone was there…They were…crying, it seemed…no…crying was…less heavy…crying was emotion simplified to salt water…this was…sensuous passion…laughter…_

_ "Who are you?" She asked. _

_ "Don't you know?" It giggled, turning its head over its shoulder. _

_ Sakura felt an electric shock pass through her…green eyes, pink hair…covered in blood…_

_ "So it was me…" She replied, feeling a kind of almost relief. Maybe that was why she felt nothing: she had killed it all voluntarily…there was…relief, yes…relief…she didn't have to fight for vengeance now…_

_ "Yes," Her copy…no…this was no replication…it __was__ her…replied, "You are the betrayer." _

_ She took out a kunai, examining the edge. She saw her eyes soften, and those of the other her harden. She was hovering again, away from her body, away from…everything…it was unbearably lonely as she watched herself eye the dagger's blade. _

_ She heard herself ask the question, "What would happen to you?" with a kind of sick, disconnected curiosity. _

_ The bloody, remorseless her replied, "The same that would happen to you." _

_ "You would die?" _

_ "Yes." _

_ "Is that what you want?" _

_ The bloody one stood up with a new tenderness, and she, hovering above both of them, watched as her gore-stained hand came down on her shoulder…but Sakura, whichever one she was, floating there, couldn't feel it. But she saw the crimson one's hand come across the hilt of the dagger, too, and turn it aside. The point was sharp, drawing blood when the her not covered in blood drew a shaky breathe. _

_ She wanted to scream as the blade was pulled back, and she wanted to react when it was driven deep into her body, even though she couldn't feel it…so was it her? She didn't know…and she wanted to cry when she saw the life fade from her own eyes. She __wanted__ to…but she couldn't…_

_ And she saw the bloody, hard and sadistic her turn away, very much alive. And she saw her tongue curl around her slender fingertip to sample the gore there…she saw it…and she wanted, more than anything, to feel disturbed…to feel anything…_

_ Suddenly she saw…sandals…feet…drops of glistening crimson…she saw the bloody her walk away…she saw…she saw the bloody her taste the red on her hand…She…__was__ she in pain? She didn't know as she let her eyelids close…as she let life slip away like water between her fingers…_

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven: Aftermath**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Yu-gi-oh or a certain, semi-psychotic sexy red-head. ~.^**_

_**A/N: Fair warning, we move quick with the steam here. ~.^**_

Yugi sat down on the couch, sighing to himself as he picked up the remote and turned on the TV. He wasn't really interesting in watching anything, but he wasn't tired despite the day he had just finished. His grandfather was showering, Sakura was resting, and his friends were heading back to their homes…things had simply settled.

_'Yugi?' _The Pharaoh spoke from beside him.

"What's up, Yami?" He asked.

_'I'm concerned about Sakura.' _He began, _'There's something about this new situation that makes me uncomfortable'_

"What do you mean?"

The Pharaoh hesitated for a moment, trying to formulate his thoughts into words. And, inevitably, that led back to thoughts of Sakura…He could still see her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, tears of rage and sorrow and other emotions he couldn't identify in the tangle of her viridian orbs. He could literally feel her broken heart beneath her…and for some reason it tore him up inside. He didn't know why, but he did know that he had a strong desire to protect her, and that his confused feelings, however mixed up and jumbled, were not unpleasant.

'_I sense a great disturbance between Sakura and her sister.'_ He continued. _'Something evil…I think it has something to do with that mark that Lynn used during the fight.'_

Yugi remembered that well enough…the way it had spread, the sudden intensity of it…it was like the thing had a mind of its own. And just when they thought they had seen everything…Up until that point, he didn't think that their hatred of Lynn could grow. But it definitely had when they realized how badly she had injured their friend; true, the physical wounds would heal, and Sakura seemed to have an excellent grasp on treating them. However, they both knew all too well how betrayal and defeat's worst wounds were inflicted on the unseen.

The Pharaoh finally spoke again, _'I do not doubt her strength. But I think we need to keep a closer eye on her. Especially when her sister is around. I do not trust Lynn, no matter what kind of good intentions she has.' _

Yugi nodded in silent agreement.

* * *

Sakura bolted straight up, gasping for air. She glanced around, wondering what she really expected to see in the room, still brightly lit by the sun. Her internal clock affirmed that she had been asleep no longer than two hours, but the very air around her felt wrong.

She kicked off the blanket, feeling trapped by its weight. Shivering, she stood up and walked out of the room. But somewhere between there and the stairs, her pace became more frantic…she could feel something at her back…

It still wasn't quite a sprint or run that finally carried her into the living room in a flurry of pink and white and black, but it was something very close. She knelt automatically beside Yugi, almost falling to her knees, and buried her head against his arm, fighting for air.

"I'm awake now…right?"

He smiled, running his hand through her hair to push it away from her eyes. "Yeah, Sakura-chan, you're awake." He didn't bother questioning it; Yami had told him the first night she had been with them she had had a nightmare. And he didn't imagine the stress and intensity of the day had contributed to a restful sleep.

"Thank goodness…" She whispered to herself, taking a moment to catch her breath before she rose from the floor and sat down on the couch. She had known it was just a dream induced by her body's feverish attempts to do away with the rest of the cursemark's toxic chakra, but the heat of Yugi's body and the feel of his shirt only confirmed it. She sighed, leaning back and closing her eyes.

She didn't feel much of anything; not even embarrassment for her sudden break. But it was a welcome relief to the complex and confusing feelings she knew were buried just below the surface. It was a small reprieve that she knew wasn't going to last long.

"Thanks…Yugi…for a moment I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or not."

She swallowed hard against her dry throat, "Yugi…I'm really, really sorry about all of this…" She stopped. She didn't even know where to begin. Should she apologize for her very presence? For her sister, who she herself didn't know what to think of anymore? "About everything…and I'm really sorry that I shoved you. I honestly thought she was after you and it was a stupid, knee-jerk reaction. And tell Yami I'm sorry I mixed you two up. I didn't realize you had switched out until near the end."

She forced herself to continue, "If…If I'm still welcome here, would you mind teaching me about dueling? I think it might be the only real chance I have against Lynn. I'm sorry, but really the only thing I have to offer in exchange is information. You've been honest with me; I think it's my turn."

"Sakura, of course you're welcome here!" He told her. "And of course I'll teach you about dueling!"

She smiled, "Then let's start at the beginning…what would you like to know?"

They were up late into the night as she explained the concept of chakra, what cursemarks were, how Lynn fit into her life, what her position was, what Konoha was like. In return, Yugi told her about his life and what he could about the Pharaoh's. It was well after three in the morning before the conversation came to a natural end.

"Well, Sakura-chan, let's go get some sleep." He finally suggested.

"You know," She smiled, "I think that's the best idea I've heard all day."

He smiled back, following her up the stairs.

* * *

Sakura stretched, rising from her mattress at the foot of his bed. She slipped into the bathroom, pulling a pair of jeans and turquoise t-shirt on. She thought it was pretty improbably they would be going anywhere that day so she didn't bother with her hair or make up.

She trotted down the stairs, feeling better than she had in a while. It wasn't until she got down the stairs and glanced through the kitchen window that she realized how late in the day it was; the sun was up so high that shadows nearly disappeared. Noon…

"Good afternoon, sleepy-head!" Solomon chirped from the table. "Did you sleep well?"

"Thank you, I did!" Her reply was cheerful, and, really, sleep had done her worlds of good. She felt like a brand new person; it had been the first time it what seemed like a small eternity that she had been able to rest without fear of someone attempting to slit her throat.

He chuckled, adding, "Then I'll simply cut to the chase. Some old friends of mine are having a reunion this weekend. I'll only be gone for a day or two. But don't worry: You're in good hands."

"Oh, I had no doubt about that." She assured him.

"Excellent." He remarked as a cab beeped from the front lane. Solomon chuckled, bid them good-bye, and slipped through the door.

Sakura waved at him from the window, watching the yellow taxi disappear down the lane. She shrugged at the oddity of the situation. But she had to admit, it was a nice kind of quirkiness. She turned back around, smiling at Yugi.

"Are you hungry, Sakura-chan?" He asked.

The kunoichi opened her mouth to politely decline when she stopped. Back tracking mentally, she realized that she had been there three days and eaten a total of one meal. And, as if on cue, her stomach had the good grace to growl rather loudly. Blushing, Sakura replied that breakfast would be great.

She had the capability to go up to two weeks without food so long as she had water and chakra. But it wasn't a mission and she wasn't hard pressed for rations.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp, sudden cry. A brown blur dove through the window, feathered wings audibly displacing air. The small kite swooped down easily on her shoulder, startling poor Yugi into diving under the table.

He peered out from under the table, feeling a bit moronic. He stood up quickly, trying to hide his little maneuver. However, his faint pink cheeks gave him away.

"Sorry about her." Sakura smiled, stroking the small predatory bird, "I really did train her better."

As if in protest, Amaya nipped her lightly before she affectionately rubbed the flat of her bill against Sakura's neck. Sighing in mock-irritation, the kunoichi relieved her summons of the scroll strapped to her leg.

It wasn't the news she had hoped to hear…

Apparently, Tsunade was well-aware of Lynn's whereabouts. Unnerved, Sakura had to push back the irrational feeling that her mentor and sister were trying to corner her. She shook her head, crumbling the parchment and tossing it into the trash.

She tried to explain to him the politics that might have gone into Tsunade's bizarre response, but she couldn't be entirely sure how much of it he actually grasped. The shinobi nations were a complicated place. In much the same way, she didn't understand a lot of his world.

Eventually, they just let the matter die as they ate the pancakes he made. They washed and dried the dishes together before finally sitting down. He spread out his cards on the table, going over attributes and summoning ceremonies as well as card types.

Then he started to explain the simple fundamentals of the game: attack and defense points, how to calculate them, the different effects some monsters had, magic and trap cards and their effects, and even their different types.

He wanted Sakura to make sure she understood everything down to the last detail. Dueling against Lynn wasn't going to be easy. After all, the red head was known as the Dueling Queen. As much as that still shocked Yugi and his friends, holding that kind of title, second only to the King of Games himself, was a huge honor by itself. And since Sakura was a quick study, Yugi had all the confidence in Sakura.

"Well, I'll let Yami handle the rest of this. Have fun!" With that said, the Puzzle glowed and soon the Pharaoh himself was on the outside, slightly confused at first as he quickly said hello to Sakura. Why did he get the feeling this was suddenly going to be awkward?

"I see Yugi has already explained everything to you." He chuckled, a smile on his face as he palmed his deck. "This deck has been through everything. It has never let us down. And, the deck that Yugi constructed for you, for the time being anyhow, I'm sure will help you really understand our game. You'll be able to make your own deck when we're done. Now, you ready for a real game? I'll be honest with you: I'm not going to take it easy."

Sakura just smiled at him, "I would be insulted if you did."

He chuckled at her, shuffling his cards. But from the short distance between them, he couldn't help but notice that she was beautiful.

Oddly, Sakura had just been thinking the same about him. His ruby eyes were intense and there was something about his sheer passion for the game that she found thrilling. It was…uncommon for men in Konoha to have feelings for anything. It was a way to keep your sanity: a shinobi buried and rejected emotion. Men like Sasuke, cold and icy, were the norm.

But hearing him talk about Duel Monsters, Yugi, about anything, really, was exhilarating. She quickly found a fragment of their conversation the previous night interrupting her thoughts…He had talked about his dual with Anubis. The God of Death, he had told her, in Egyptian culture and, apparently, one hell of a sociopath.

It did give her some disconcerting insight into herself, though. She found herself wondering why Lynn had chosen Kaiba. Now it made sense: Lynn had a thing for danger, Sakura had a thing for power.

She didn't realize that they had slowly been leaning in closer and closer.

At the time, she didn't realize the Pharaoh was equally distracted. Someone in the back of his head was gently prodding him…

_Y-Yugi_…he thought_. I-I can't…I-I mean this isn't my body; its yours. I-I can't just_…

_Just go for it, Yami!_ Yugi replied_ I know you've liked her since she got here so just go for it! You're the Pharaoh! You're not afraid of _anything_!_

_I wouldn't say anything, Yugi_, Yami interjected.

_Doesn't matter!_ Yugi replied again.

The Pharaoh sighed; his light was right, though he didn't want to admit it. He pushed aside his cards, his hand coming up gently against the kunoichi's cheek as he leaned in. The warmth of her body, however, was completely drowned out by the heat of her lips.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight: Rising Tide **_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

_**A/N: We are aware we are moving quickly here, but we promise to explain. Hang tight with us. ^^ Also, remember that physical and mental virginity are two very different things!**_

Hot shivers raced down Sakura's spine and settled in her stomach. She looped her arms around his neck, trying to keep a grip on reality as she slid around the table. The tangle of his tongue against hers flooded her mouth with a taste that was startlingly similar to fruit. But it was heavy, like musk, too…

It felt like well over a minute before she pulled away, her need for oxygen overriding her desire to stay tangled with him. She turned her eyes on him, acutely aware her deep blush and the less than innocent flow of blood through her body.

He frowned as he glanced at her, and she flinched back privately. She hadn't been kissed many times and she wondered if she had disappointed him…It shouldn't have mattered, she tried to tell herself, she barely knew him. Hell, he barely knew himself…

But her thoughts were abruptly cut off as he pulled her down again. Her legs slid over his hips, her core coming to rest against his. His arms snaked around her waist, pulling her close. She responded with equal fervor, her pelvis twisting against his.

His body shivered once more, suddenly finding it hard to breath. He didn't have time to look down but he could feel his pants were getting tighter. He groaned, having no idea he was getting hard inside his leathers.

When her hands landed on his chest, his own breath hitched, and he found himself suddenly wishing he wasn't wearing a shirt. He wanted to feel those soft hands on him just as much as he wanted to feel her skin beneath his hand under her shirt.

Temptation was an evil mistress indeed, especially when Sakura landed on his lap full on. Not only did he let out another moan, but, when Sakura moved her body against his, he groaned, feeling the center of her womanhood on top of his growing erection.

Sakura found her blood racing as his tongue slid between her lips. No man ever made the first move on her; too many were afraid because of her well-known temper and her connection to Tsunade. And shinobi often avoided long term, committed relationships. They never knew when life might be ripped away. But the rules were different in his world. And his sudden dominant stand was more than enough to arouse her dormant sexuality.

Her body had never really been her own. It was a tool, to be used the discretion of her superiors. So even she couldn't be entirely sure how much of it was a passive rebellion against that doctrine of female sexuality as a weapon.

But it could very well have been much more than that: She had hardly ever been kissed, and with only a fraction of the passion he had shown her. It was arousing to realize a man found her attractive and with Yami it was very, very easy to lose herself.

She was so caught up in the tangle of their tongues and the press of their bodies that her own climax was foreign to her. It wasn't until she found herself breathless and exhausted that she was aware she had come at all. And, based on his sudden slow in movement, he had, too.

She slid off of him, trying to catch her breath and suppress the sexual flush that was spreading across the pale skin of her chest and face.

It was then that she started to wonder what an Egyptian Pharaoh would think of her…advance. She opened her mouth to apologize only to have him cut her off.

"Don't." He replied, his voice heavy with passion despite his light and carefree smirk.

"Um, we should probably…" He whispered, looking back to the table where the dueling decks remained untouched.

"Oh...yeah..." Sakura shook her head, smiling as she tried to center herself. She definitely didn't want to move from her place on his lap, but she had a feeling that it wouldn't be the last time they wound up there.

She slid off of him, taking her place on the opposite side of the table. By the time she had caught her breath and suppressed her blush, though, he had already made his first move. For a moment, she was stunned-he certainly was able to focus himself quickly. That almost unnerved her...but she liked that he wasn't making a massive deal out of her...

_'The words you're looking for are "lap dance." _

Sakura growled under breath; that voice in the back of her mind got more and more troublesome every day. And here she was again...ready to goad Sakura into something. For a moment, the kunoichi wondered if the voice was there just to push her to accomplish what she really wanted but wasn't going to admit even to herself. And then she realized it was probably rather sick and a little twisted to be dreading your own thoughts; it was even worse when you were ready to fight with yourself against yourself...

She responded to her inner self a bit snappishly with a silent retort. 'So not even...'

_"You leapt on him and rode him, girlie. Not that I'm complaining; You're entirely sexless life was getting to me." _

'Sexless? Now, come on...I might be a virgin, but really! I get a fair share of attention.' Sakura thought as she laid down a card in response to his move.

_"So, you did like it." _

Sakura really hated it when the voice in the back of her mind was right, and she shoved the urge to scream at it out loud; sure, Yugi and Yami had the exact same problem...but there was one big difference: They were two different people, whereas she was one very confused single.

She tried not to think about what had happened moments earlier but it kept coming back. In many ways, she was glad it had just happened: it definitely eroded some of the sexual tension that she now realized how been there for a while. And at least now they wouldn't be so distracted by their...uh...bodies...But on the other hand she had hoped it might move a little more slowly-really, she was attracted to him on a level that was utter insanity. And she definitely didn't regret it. But she worried he might think she was...too forward...

_'I.E: Slut?' _Her inner voice chimed in.

'I swear if you don't shut up...' Sakura replied mentally.

Yami, glancing at her from across the table, had to admit he wasn't able to get the image of what just transpired between them out of his mind; and, though he admitted he quite enjoyed it, it was now time to duel. He needed to let his mind concentrate on the game and not allow it to waver. After all, Sakura was expecting his best and that was exactly what he planned to deliver.

It did, however, surprise even himself with how quickly he was able to put his mind solely on the game and not let the images of her pink cheeks and the sounds of her soft moans distract him. His reputation certainly did precede him.

'_Yami, you're not denying it happened, are you?' _Came Yugi's mind inside his mind as he watched the duel from afar.

'_Of course I'm not.' _The Pharaoh replied back_. 'I'm just not thinking about it right now. Sakura wouldn't forgive me if I allowed myself to get distracted and take it easy on her.'_

Yugi smiled to himself despite the situation. It was kind of odd to still be reeling from the physical release himself when he wasn't strongly connected to his body so he wasn't sure how Yami was doing it.

It was a short lived confusion as his purple eyes fell on the table. It had been a sound loss for Sakura. But he hadn't expected anything short of annihilation of her Life Points with fewer than ten cards.

She suddenly realized that she had lost, too; of course, she, like Yugi, had been expecting her first match to be a disaster. But her loss was absolutely devastating. It had taken him five cards to wipe her Life Points clean...

She just sighed, smiling at him. "You know, Yami...I think my concentration is officially shot." It was an (rather lame, she would admit) attempt at flirting, but she didn't care. It felt good to not have any embarrassed tension between them.

"Maybe we should go for a walk?" She suggested.

"That sounds like a good conclusion to the day." He replied, standing and holding out his hand.

It was a difficult thing to describe what exactly they were thinking and feeling. In holding out his hand, he was offering her much more. And in taking his hand, she was accepting that offer.

* * *

Lynn leaned down, wrapping Mokuba's ice cream cone in a napkin before handing it back to him. With all the trouble shooting he did for Kaiba, it was easy to sometimes forget he was a kid. And she knew that Kaiba hardly had time to spare for things like ice cream and walks.

"Oh, here, let me get that." She smiled as she leaned down to wipe a spot of chocolate away from his nose.

"Thanks, Sis." He replied.

Lynn stood up suddenly, trying to mask the flash of hurt in her eyes. She loved Mokuba, and it stung to think that Kaiba hadn't really warmed it up to the idea of her as his mother. It was an ache very similar to the one she felt every morning when she woke up alone.

She sighed to herself as she smoothed her long denim skirt over her thighs. She was a little surprised to realize she had dressed like a civilian without meaning to. Over her impractical skirt rested a red tank top and equally impractical leather vest. Her hair was done and she hadn't carried even her usual dagger…

She stopped for a fraction of a second. She had to wonder if it worried her that she had slid so easily into life outside of the constant battle. Should she, Lynn asked herself, have been concerned with in inability to rise with the sun, or her easy sink into sleep when she lay down each night.

She had doubts, sometimes. Life is Konoha hadn't been easy, but it had been the life she knew. In some ways, it was a lot harder to be with Kaiba. It required emotion that she had forgotten how to use or really feel and it demanded a lot of energy from her in ways she was accustomed to.

The red-headed beauty shook her head. She was happy, even with all the small annoyances and kinks that her relationships had. It was a life that she was comfortable in, even if she was still learning how to really fit into it.

* * *

Sakura leaned against Yami lightly, her head on his shoulder and his arm around her waist. It was a perfect evening and in some ways even a bit cliché; after all, how many romances novels closed with the scene that was playing out in front of them: the sun just barely setting, casting a romantic peach glow over the street they walked.

Almost impulsively, she turned her head up and kissed Yami lightly. He hummed in approval, his tongue running lightly across the bottom of her lip before they pulled away. He turned to ask her something only to feel her stiffen in his arms as she stride broke. His ruby-toned eyes followed the line of her viridian ones…

Right to a head of unmistakable red hair…

"It's good to see you again, Saki." Lynn greeted her younger sister, smiling over at Yami. The ancient spirit returned the gesture somewhat reluctantly.

Sakura opened her mouth to reply but couldn't force a coherent thought. It was…hard to see Lynn leaning over someone else the way she had when she was younger. And she couldn't even say it was jealously; Mokuba clearly needed maternal influence. But it was hard not to let the very innocent display of affection spiral into a kind of torture of its own.

It brought back memories that Sakura wasn't entirely sure she wanted.

In reality, Lynn was fighting the same thing. She had raised Sakura. It was impossible not to feel her own tidal wave of guilt and longing.

"Calm down your chakra, please. I'm not going to do anything." Lynn finally said, her voice quieter than she intended.

As if she could prove her sincerity, she leaned forward, kissing her younger sister on the forehead. But as she did, her eyes drifted down to her sister's hand-twined with Yami's.

"Goodness," She smirked with an air of affectionate amusement, "When did this happen? I didn't know you worked so quickly, Saki."

Sakura blushed, realizing for the first time that the hand holding probably wasn't the only thing that gave them away: they probably smelled a little like each other and more than a little like sex and sweat though they hadn't really slept together…

"And here I thought the King of Games had only one love." Lynn continued.

The kunoichi bit down on her tongue. In her world, a paramour was a liability, someone that could be used against you…And though the source of her palpable discomfort had been Lynn all along, it took her a moment to consciously recognize it; it unnerved her that Lynn _wasn't _attempting to cut her throat.

Deciding she had had more than enough for one day, Sakura excused both of them, explaining they still needed to get back to the shop. She really didn't want to cut her one pleasant experience with Lynn so short, but her sister confused her too badly for her to want to stay.

She pivoted on her heel, Yami following after her. But she stopped, glancing over her shoulder and telling Lynn, "It was nice to see you. Catch me around town sometime or something."

The kunoichi didn't wait for a reply as she walked away. And Lynn did much the same, taking Mokuba's hand and leaving down the opposite lane.

* * *

_That girl gives me whiplash…_Yugi trailed off.

Yami had to agree. It was very disconcerting to have to interact with someone who changed their emotions so quickly and along such a broad spectrum. It seemed there was no guarantee that the next time they chanced to meet, she wouldn't be out for blood. However, the same train of thought also suggested they had no reason to think she would be anything but amiable.

He finally turned to Sakura, "Are you alright?"

She smiled, "How can I not be? At least this time she didn't have a dagger to my throat."

Yami chuckled, taking her hand again. "Well, then, let's go home."

* * *

Sakura sat down on the couch as Yami slid into the kitchen. She turned her attention to the TV, which had been left on by mistake. It was just the evening news and for a long moment, the vague clink of glass on glass as Yami fixed two waters was far more interesting than the pointless blathering of the reporter.

Then the woman directed them views to a picture on the upper right hand corner of the screen. It was a video, actually…

Of Yami kissing her…

Sakura gave a cry of alarm as she fumbled with the remote, turning the volume up. The woman on the screen sprang into a long description of the King of Games' love life, or apparent lack thereof, followed by a debate on how his relationship would affect his ability to duel.

"I'm…sorry…" She finally stammered, too preoccupied to note the blurb on the next section highlighting the newest project coming out of Kaiba Corp. or the video of Pegasus entering the headquarters for the multi-billion dollar company.

Yami shrugged, leaning against the doorway as he eyed the screen. It annoyed him that the media was already attempting to chronicle his personal life. But it seemed it couldn't be helped. Though the speed with which they had thrust themselves into his private life was astounding, he thought to himself.

"No need to apologize." He assured her, sitting down beside and turning the TV off. It seemed they had both had enough of the media storm for a while.

"But I should warn you that things will likely get dangerous very soon." He added. "Are you certain you want to stick around?"

"Why would I leave just when things are getting interesting?" Sakura replied playfully.

"Then you have my word," He responded with a smirk, "That I will protect you every step of the way."

"I intend to do a bit better than that, Yami." Sakura responded.

"How so?"

"I intend to be your equal before this whole thing is said and done."

She knew that something much bigger than just her vacation was occurring. And she felt like she needed to be a part of it...she had seen the kind of real damage a Shadow Game could do, and Kaiba seemed to have a bad habit for being played at his own game without realizing it...

Sakura sighed to herself not unhappily as she massaged her temple. Things, yes, were complicated but there was a lot of good happening, too. She just needed to keep perspective and she knew things would be alright. They always seemed to just work out...

She sat back up straight, her back pressed to the sofa backing as she stretched for a moment. She quickly settled against the cushions, feeling better than she had since her first meeting with Lynn. But she that Kaiba Corps. invention and grand new project probably weren't good news for them. And, now that Kaiba had seen their little...uh...romance affair on national TV, it wasn't likely he was going to sit back without at least trying to take advantage of Yami's _perceived_ weakness.

Kaiba was going to be disappointed, she knew, when he realized that using her relationship with Yami as a weapon wasn't going to work. But it was his mistake to make and it was going to be incredibly amusing, in her opinion, to see another one of his schemes blow up in his face.

"That won't be an easy task."

"Then we had better get to work." She smirked.

She sat up and got back to work; they had left off in the middle of teaching her the basics but now that she knew them, she knew she needed to create a deck of her own. She would go to the store tomorrow, she reasoned as she glanced at the cards spread across the table. And one of them suddenly caught her attention...

It was a card, unremarkable when compared to many of them. It showed a woman with long brown hair and intense cerulean colored eyes. She wore a turquoise bodice with a light pink skirt. Gold and magenta rimmed her clothing, large emeralds highlighting her conical hat and scythe-like scepter.

The kunoichi frowned, unsure of what to make of her irrational connection to the card. She held it up, asking for clarification. And Yami was quick to offer it.

"It appears the Heart of the Cards favors you. That's a good sign. And I can't think of a better duelist to have her." Yami told her, smiling as he eyed the Magician's Valkyria card in her hand.

He intended to say something further but was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. Sighing, Sakura stood up, volunteering to get it. He nodded, sitting down on the couch as she disappeared through the hall.

'_Everything alright, Yami?' _Yugi asked from somewhere in the back of his mind.

'_I don't like this recent turn of events.' _

'_Yeah. It's one thing for Kaiba to be up to something. But getting Pegasus involved is a whole other game.' _

'_A game I have no doubt we'll be able to beat.' _

He heard the door open, and then another barrage of sounds he was all too familiar with…

The minute Sakura opened the door, she was blinded by camera flash. Her hand came up to guard her eyes as she tried to see through the haze of flashing lights and the sudden chorus of questions and microphones in her face...It was worse than a media conference for a peace treaty, she thought to herself a faint growl escaped her lips.

"I'm sorry, can I help any of you?" She asked icily, feeling hemmed in and defensive. She was met with an uproar of questions that all had to do with her relationship with Yami: How long they had been together, where they met, and some other, very inappropriate inquires she had no intention of even acknowledging. Not that she planned, of course, on answering anyone of them.

She didn't have time to say anything else before a man shoved a cream-colored envelope at her and told her, very rudely, that they had better "_show up_." To what, she had no idea and she didn't have time to ask before he disappeared in the glare of the colored lights dancing around them.

She just closed the door, slamming it probably a good deal harder than she needed to just to get her point across. She quickly eyed the envelope in her hand-an ivory hue with her name and 'Motou Yugi' printed across the front in silver script. It looked more like an invitation to a wedding than anything else; and, for some reason, it immediately set her on edge.

She walked back into the living room, her vision still spotty with hundreds of colored dots and splotches, sat down on the couch and handed it to the Pharaoh. She had no desire to be the one to open it...she just didn't see this whole thing going anywhere good...

"What do you think it is?" She asked.

"Likely it has something to do with Kaiba." He responded, opening the envelope. A similarly colored and decorated note slid into his lap. It read:

_**You have been cordially invited to attend the opening party of a new duel disk by Kaiba Corp. Your host will be Seto Kaiba, the inventor, and Maximillion Pegasus, who has recently come out of retirement to attend. This new duel disk will be used in the upcoming tournament, Duel City II. Further information will be released with time. We hope to see you there! **_

"It's addressed to both of us." He told her.

"And you don't think this is odd?"

"Kaiba frequently hosts large tournaments." He responded. "What do you think? Are you up for this?"

But there was still something odd about it. He could conceivably have been out for the God Cards again. However, if that was the case, there was sure to be someone out for the Millennium Items, as well.

Sakura nodded, "I don't think we really have much choice, Yami. We should show up and save what we can of your reputation. If another tournament is coming up, you can't afford to waste your time with second-rate duelists that think they can beat you because you have a girlfriend. Based on what you told me about the last one, there's no way that this tournament can't go wrong. And, knowing Kaiba based on what you've told me, he's going to fall right into whatever trap the next Shadow sorcerer comes up with."

"All too true." He replied.

With even a _perceived _weakness laid against him, he knew he was going to be dueling more than ever. And probably not just in Duel Monsters; there were thousands of games out there waiting to be used against him. Moreover, Sakura now had to worry about enemies of Konoha in Domino City finding her. To her knowledge, there wasn't anyone specific, but in the ninja world, not assuming the absolute worst would get you killed. And it seemed that Domino was carrying over into Konoha in much the same way Konoha was merging with Domino subtly.

And, especially with this new person, Pegasus, in the mix, she didn't see things improving. She had felt Yami's energy change significantly at the mere mention of his name; he was clearly an old enemy. And not one to be taken lightly if the sudden pressure in the air was any indication.

Her viridian eyes snapped back to Yami; she couldn't afford to be a burden on him. She needed to be able to protect herself in a Shadow Game. But to do that, she was going to need to learn on a curve that would have stunned Tsunade herself, the Queen of Curved Learning. And, in much the same way a slip up in a battle could cost her everything, a slip up in a duel could, too.

"Well, I think we have some work to do." She said.

"Then we had best get to it." He smirked.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine: Long Way Home**_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh! **_

Yami watched with some confusion as the kunoichi shifted on the floor; her head slid down against her arm, her eyelids sliding down ever so slightly. But her gaze remained focused, her eyes intent on the cards he placed in front of her.

He opened his mouth to ask if she was feeling well only to hear a small laugh in the back of his mind. And though he could resist the urge to ask Yugi aloud what was so funny, he couldn't wholly suppress the desire to acknowledge it.

His eyes slid back and up, as if he were looking at someone over his shoulder. His silent question echoed back through their shared link. The teenage boy shook his head as if the ancient spirit truly was a lost cause. But despite the gesture, his face was split with a knowing grin.

_She's tired, Yami. And so are you._

The Pharaoh's face shifted in confusion: He had slumbered for thousands of years as a being with no corporeal form. He was, essentially, a stranger to many of the commands that governed the body he and Yugi shared. Naturally, he had maintained some of the functions, even in spirit form, from his prior lifetime. He still drew breath, even when he didn't have a body that needed it. And he recognized some functions of the body he sometimes inhabited.

But it was difficult for him to reconcile his physical need for sleep when he generally needed sleep only for the mental benefits. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around being perfectly alert in his mind yet slowing so drastically in his corporeal reactions.

_See, Yami. Look. _

Yugi's gentle prompt forced his eyes back over to the woman that sat across from him. By now, her eyes had closed. Her breathing was soft, slow, rhythmic…

The Pharaoh's lips pulled up despite his own fatigue. He stood up, walking over to her and laying his hand against her shoulders. She didn't shift beneath his gentle touch as he adjusted her. Her lithe body slid from his arms onto the couch.

Innocently, she curled against herself as her head shifted against a pillow. His hand slid away from her warm skin, reaching to grasp a throw at her feet. Silently, he pulled the sheath of fabric across her body. He rose a moment later, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her eyes.

The brush of his hand elicited a small moan from her. That small, barely there sound stilled his normally decisive footsteps. He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes falling on her face…

The moonlight pouring through the window painted her ivory skin with an almost opalescent sheen. Her spiky hair, splayed across her cheek, gave her all the sexual appeal of a goddess, as though she were flirting with him from behind a barely there veil of restraint…

The ancient spirit resisted the heat the invaded his cheeks. He could easily write off his reaction to her as the hormones that raged through the body of a teenage boy---it was a body that he just so happened to borrow occasionally. That didn't stop its natural processes.

_It's not bad, Yami . _

Startled, the Pharaoh all but physically started. He hadn't realized the link between them had still been open and he stammered in his attempt to apologize.

_For what? _

His light was clearly amused. The spirit stopped, trying to think of a reasonable explanation that would serve to simply put the whole matter behind them. Finally, Yugi just sighed, smiling as he turned his face to his friend, his brother.

_It's okay. Really. _

Yami wanted to tell him that it wasn't so much that he was embarrassed as…unnerved. But he didn't know how to say it and so he didn't. He just let Yugi _feel _what he was.

_I see, _His hikari replied a moment later, _But what fun is life…if nothing unexpected ever happens? _

* * *

Yugi stretched, closing his right eye against the invasive sun. He glanced at the clock in his room, wondering if it was really so late in the morning. But the garish radiance seeping in through his curtains seemed to attest to the fact that it was.

Yawning, he rose from his bed. He dressed quickly, unconcerned for his appearance. After all, he wasn't the one that was going to be out and about.

He descended the stairs, grabbing the phone from its hook as he passed under the doorway. He punched in several digits, pulling the receiving to his ear as he prepared a cup of a coffee.

"Hello?" A female voice chimed from the other end a moment later.

"Hey, Mai? Yeah, morning to you, too!" He replied to her quip of "Good morning, Yugi."

"I'm calling in a favor for Sakura." He added.

"What kind of favor?"

"The girl kind."

He told her about the situation with Kaiba Corporation's latest project. Apparently, she had been in a similar boat a day earlier when she found she, too, had been invited and needed a dress to wear.

"I'll be over in ten."

"Oh, I think I still need to wake her up, though." Yugi replied.

"Don't worry about that, either."

Yugi could literally hear the smirk in her voice as she clicked off the line.

* * *

Sakura bolted straight up as the door ripped open, crashing against the wall. Her motion, though, was uncoordinated and poorly timed: She quickly tangled in the blanket, crashing to the floor as she tried to kick it off. She heard Mai order her up a fraction of a second before the quilt was torn away from her. Two pairs of hands grabbed her, pulling her to her feet.

"Good morning, sleepy-head!" Serenity smiled as she walked her through the door.

"What is going on?!" Sakura asked, thoroughly expecting the world to be ending just outside of the shop.

"We're going shopping, silly." Mai replied somewhat dryly as she threw open another door, pushing Sakura out in front of her and ordering her into a purple car.

* * *

It was about two in the afternoon when the kunoichi finally stepped back into the house. She walked up the stairs, placing the bagged dress among her other articles of clothing before making her way to the kitchen.

She reached for a glass, filling it with water. As she raised it to her lips, her eyes drifted up.

The kunoichi started: In front of her stood a severe looking man, holding a gold loop in his hands. His eyes fell on her and she suddenly felted cornered. The thin pane of glass separating them was all that stood between her and him. She adjusted her footing, intent on gaining some distance to access the situation. But she didn't get far.

He held up the object, a faint light emanating from it. She recognized the same feeling she got from Bakura's Millennium Ring the instant the world around her disappeared in a rush of air and color.

By then, she was so far separated from her own body that she didn't feel her knees collide with the tile or the glass slip from her hands.

* * *

Lynn stretched, glancing down the pillow to her right. Her hand strayed to it, her fingers passing over the cool fabric. Sighing dejectedly, she slipped from the bed.

She hated going to bed alone, like she had the previous night, but it was even worse to wake up alone. Of course, the red-head held no delusions about her relationship with Seto Kaiba. She had known from the get-go that it was going to be hard. But she was starting to wonder if her previous liaison with an Uchiha elder wasn't easier…

Lynn brushed aside her thoughts as she glanced down at the cards littering her nightstand. Sakura certainly hadn't been the only one up late. The hailed Queen of Dueling lifted a card, knowing instinctively that it was her signature monster. It had saved her before and she had no doubt it would prevail of her sister.

Smirking, she turned away, sauntering towards the shower. She dressed afterwards, slipping into a lavender tank with a generous neckline and jeans. She did her hair, styling it so that her curls fell around her face.

It was time to remind Seto, if not herself, that she was indeed a woman.

* * *

Her hand came down on the door, rapping forcefully. Naturally, she got no response. Somewhat irked, she opened the door without waiting for permission.

Wholly unsurprised to see him sitting at his desk, his fingers running along the keyboard, she walked over. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, letting her lips brush the edge of his ear. Her fingers twined playfully with the cord that hung from his neck, bearing the security card for his buildings.

"Thanks for the dress. It's beautiful." She whispered.

She got a curt, cut response, "Whatever."

She stayed like that for a moment, unsure of what to say to his reply. He sighed a fraction of a second later, his eyes sliding up, "Do you mind? I'm working."

The red-head's eyes narrowed dangerously as she quickly retracted her body. Her gate was even as she stepped from the room, slamming the door behind her hard enough to rattle the building. She quickly found herself outdoors, the only place she could really think anymore.

"Kami, he is so infuriating!" She hissed to the open air.

She sighed to herself, having vented her rage and feeling simply rejected. She shook her head, turning on her heels to walk back inside.

But she didn't see the Kaiba Corps. Building in front of her anymore…

* * *

Sakura shook her head and she forced herself into a sitting position.

"What the hell…?" She trailed off as her vision finally cleared.

She definitely wasn't in the Mutou family kitchen anymore; she was surrounded by walls and stairs in a complicated, twisting labyrinth. Hundreds of doors littered the seemingly endless loop of hallways and passages.

Wondering immediately if she had been caught in a genjutsu, her hands snapped in front of her. The seal was formed and she let her chakra spike. She cried out the command, "Kai!" But when she opened her eyes, she realized that it couldn't be a genjutsu…she was still trapped.

Unsure of whether to be irked or confused, she forced herself to her feet. The world reversed, shifting in a dizzying twist. That was when she realized she hadn't been laying on the floor…

She had been lying on the ceiling…

The kunoichi cried out in alarm. But she also recognized that she didn't feel the pull of gravity in the pit of her stomach. However, that only served to disturb her more: as a general rule, when all else failed, the laws of physics still applied.

'Okay…if I got in here, there must be a way out…I just…need to find it, first.'

* * *

"What the hell just hit me?!" Lynn fumed as she pushed herself up on her forearms, rubbing the back of her aching head.

Her next statement carried significantly less fire, "Oh Kami…where am I?"

However, kunoichi instinct was deeply rooted despite her years away from Konoha. Her eyes steeled over almost instantly as she surveyed the complex maze of tunnels and cold stone doors before her.

"Okay…well, I have no intention of being trapped here for very long." She said to no one in particular as she stood up, shrugged, and started walking.

* * *

Her scream as she slid over the edge of the open doorway pierced the dark. It was only timing and split-second intuition that saved her: her hand snapped up, latching onto the stone floor. The jolt of her halted bodily impetus nearly ripped her loose, but fear of plunging into the dark, seemingly endless abyss below her strengthened her hold.

She used the shock that pulled her back up to arc her back and bring her legs up. Her subsequent landing was anything but graceful; she extended her legs, gaining as much as distance from the edge of the door that opened to nothingness. However, that prevented her from landing on her feet and instead she wound up badly abrading her left leg from the ankle to the top of her thigh.

She ignored the burn of torn flesh as she stood up and opened another door.

The next scream that tore through her lips wasn't one of surprise…it was one of pain.

* * *

Lynn rested against a stone wall, her chest heaving. The now dry trails of tears marred her otherwise flawless skin. Her skin was bathed in a cold sweat.

She brought her hand to her forehead, trying to brush loose strands of hair away from her eyes. She knew where she was now…

When she had first come to Domino, Lynn, too, had stayed with the Mutou family. In the process, she had, naturally, learned and even become accustomed to Shadow Duels, the power of the Millennium Items, and the general weirdness that Domino City just seemed to attract. In the process of _that _learning endeavor, she had also come to understand that the most powerful weapon against someone was their own mind.

She shook her head, trying to clear away the image that pervaded her thoughts. But she still saw Itachi's eyes soften sadly as she threw herself at him, demanding an explanation for his behavior. She knew, though, that what she wanted more than that was an answer for why he was doing it to _them._

She never got one…

Lynn stood up forcefully, as if she could physically push the memory away from her. She peered into the darkness, suddenly and acutely aware that someone---or something---was walking towards her. She tensed, her fist clenching even though she had since figured out her chakra was useless to her.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

* * *

The sound of glass shattering sent Yugi flying down the stairs and into the kitchen.

He and Yami had been aware that Sakura had made it home. However, they were in the middle of a conversation that could hardly be postponed. With so much going on around them, and so quickly at that, they had contingencies that needed to be decided upon. It wasn't until they heard the crystalline snap of the cup that they realized anything was wrong.

He cried her name, kneeling beside her, pulling her into his lap. His eyes flickered to Yami, who had appeared beside him. He saw the frustrated Pharaoh reach for her only to have his hand sink through her physical body.

It was, however, in that moment that Yami realized what was wrong…someone had opened the door to her mind and soul…and left it that way…

"I'll be back." He promised Yugi before disappearing.

His lighter half didn't question him; it wasn't so much that he didn't have them as much as he didn't have time to ask them.

All he could do was hold Sakura and hope.

* * *

"Who the fuck are you?" Lynn demanded.

The tall, dark-skinned man didn't reply as he pushed her against the stone wall. His arm barred her from the left, leaving her no place to run. She saw his lips move and heard something that sounded vaguely like the word 'rose', but she couldn't be sure.

"What the hell are you talking about?" She snapped.

"Interesting…a former queen, as well."

"I have no fucking clue what you're talking about. But if you don't let me out of here in the next two seconds, I'm going to kick your ass and _make _a way out!"

"I wouldn't suggest doing that." He replied.

A third voice suddenly pierced the darkness, "Come, Shadi. Are you really so bored as to invade the mind of this worthless woman?"

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten: Time, Space, Expanse**_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

Yami yanked the door to her mind closed, firmly sealing it. His eyes narrowed as he surveyed the walls and doors of her mind for signs of trauma. And though he saw none, he knew that with so many halls and rooms he couldn't be sure.

He slid his hands into his pockets, or the physical representation of them in this incorporeal world, as he started walking. He also started thinking: There were very few people powerful or aggressive enough to invade someone else's mind. And there were even fewer that would display such cruelty and indifference; leaving that door open was inviting further attack and damage.

He turned down one hall, stopping only long enough to come to one conclusion: He didn't care what it took; he was going to find her.

* * *

To say that she was happy to see him was an outright lie. But there was a certain relief in the fact that she wasn't alone with this strange man anymore.

"The King of Thieves racing to the rescue of the queen."

Bakura turned his lethal gaze on Shadi, "I hate to agree with you on the point of a mere woman, but I must. Your babbling is offense; I would suggest taking your freak show on the road. After all, the only one permitted to plunge this little red-head into the Shadows is me."

He held up his Millennium Ring, a golden light arising from both of the objects.

The kunoichi took her chance; she slipped under Shadi's arm, backing away. Her hand came up to her eyes, shielding them from the increasing glow. Though Bakura's comment seemed to hardly faze her, it did bring up memories she was glad she wasn't facing.

Her first encounter with him had been much the same as Sakura's: He plunged her, mind, body and soul, into the Shadow Realm. She had been forced into dueling him. Of course, she was inexperienced and her knowledge of the consequences of loss-death or worse-did nothing to help her abilities.

She was on the verge of losing when Yami finally managed to reach her. He told her she didn't have to fight; he would take over. But for some reason she snapped at him to stay _the hell _out of it. At the time, she knew he probably thought she had gone insane. And, really, she wasn't sure she hadn't.

But her next draw proved them both wrong: her Magician, now her signature card, was pulled. She played it, linking it successfully with the trap card she had managed beforehand. In the end, she managed to defeat him.

Since then, Lynn and Bakura had managed a love/hate relationship: They loved to hate each other.

Her thoughts on the matter were abruptly cut as Shadi admitted that Bakura's powers had indeed grown. However, he asserted that he had found what he had come for before disappeared.

Bakura sneered something along the lines of "Good riddance" before he forcefully hauled her up from the ground. He wrapped his hand tightly around her upper arm, forcing her in front of him and threw an open door she hadn't realized was there.

But as she was reunited with her body, she thought she saw the glimmer of green in the corner of her eye…

* * *

Sakura pressed her back to a stone wall. Her hand was clamped over her mouth, her chest shaking with barely suppressed sobs. Cold sweat bathed her skin.

What she had seen disturbed her…but it also touched her. It was hard to imagine Bakura coming to anyone's aid…but he had…and that had ramifications that were striking her like a ton of bricks.

It meant they were human…both of them. But that meant there was a lot more to both of them than she wanted to admit. Because admitting so much as that would mean she also had to admit they were human; it was easy to fight someone you could demonize, dehumanize. And yet before her was rare, laid bare emotion that she couldn't deny.

How did she fight something so like herself? Some_one_ that made mistakes, suffered for them, laughed, loved, hate just like she did…She had been in over her head before but now she felt like she was six feet under.

* * *

Lynn groaned as she sat up, the sun high over head already fading as it passed beneath the horizon. She cursed, wondering exactly what the heck had just happened. She turned her vicious gaze to Bakura, demanding an answer for the odd encounter.

"How am I supposed to know?" He scoffed, watching dispassionately as she rose from the ground and brushed herself off.

"Okay, then where the hell was I?" She asked.

"Your own mind." He replied, as if it was the simplest, most obvious thing in the world. "Shadi has the power to open the doors to your mind and soul."

Lynn honestly considered the fact that he was lying to her. After all, it was Bakura. However, given that she had easily come to accept the idea of Shadow Duels and Sennen Items, this was really no different.

"I suppose I should thank you for saving me from "Mr. I'm-going-to-mind-rape-you" but for some reason I'm having a hard time saying those two words. They taste like vomit." She replied.

"And that's all the thanks I need." He chuckled darkly as he turned around and started walking. But he did spare her one last glance over his shoulder, "Don't read into this, either. I don't need your male play thing causing trouble. I still hate you. I just hate the idea of someone else sending you into the Darkness more."

_Lovely guy…_ Lynn thought dryly to herself as she spun and walked back into the building.

She wondered vaguely if Kaiba had even noticed her hours' long absence. She frowned, deciding it was better not to think on that matter. She had bigger problems; that Shadi character, if she had heard his name correctly, said something about "finding what he wanted." What the hell that meant, she wasn't sure and couldn't even begin to venture a guess at.

She shrugged that matter off. She had a personal Hokage to report to, after all.

* * *

Kaiba was less than pleased when his door was flung open by a clearly pissed red-head. She crossed the room, shoving herself bodily against the desk so that her hip faced him.

"You will not believe what I just spent the last few hours doing."

"What is that?" He asked coldly, unconcerned.

"Let's just say I know now how complicated my mind really is."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed; feeling baited, he crossed his arms over his chest as he demanded an explanation. But even with his icy exterior so formidably reinforced, she saw the fleeting flicker of curiosity fill his eyes.

"I guess Shadi's in town. Ever heard of him?"

"Shadi?"

They both turned to face Pegasus, who had apparently been walking by when he heard the name. His normally eerie smile had quickly been replaced with a frown that seemed almost unnatural on him.

"You know him?" Lynn asked.

"I wish I didn't." Pegasus admitted.

His thoughts were dark: _I may have lost my Millennium Eye sometime ago, but I can still sense the darkness. He couldn't have chosen a worse time, for that matter. But why is he back? Why the sudden interest in this woman? _

* * *

Sakura didn't even really remember Yami finding and leading her back to her soul room so she could reconnect with her body.

She did however remember the sudden, almost painful rush of physical feeling as she came to her senses. She jerked up, pulling herself off of the floor.

Glass and blood littered the tile.

"What the hell happened?" She asked as she stood up, shaking her head. "What time is it? Did I…hit my head?"

Yugi gently forced her into sitting. He threw his jacket over her shoulders, worried about the physical symptoms of such a prolonged and forced venture into her own mind.

"Shadi…he has a Millennium Item. I don't know why, but he came after you." He finally said.

Sakura cursed privately; secretly, she had hoped it had been a head injury. Then she could simply write the whole thing off as some kind of sick dream. But she knew even before he explained the situation to her that life simply wasn't that simple.

The crushing reality of their unavoidable conflict hit Sakura like a physical blow. There was so much riding on her from the outside...there were people that needed her...but fighting Lynn would crush her from the inside out...

How long could they lie to each other, about each other? They loved each other, and more than that, they needed each other. Or, at least, Sakura needed Lynn. When their parents had died, that was all she had. That was her life, the nucleus of her ability to grow at all. Lynn overnight had become the center of her world. And she had become the orbiting body that governed the seasons of Lynn's world...

It had been like that for so long...and even still, she had nearly forgotten it all...Guilt swept over her...

She suddenly felt…violated…She had been invaded by someone, and they had freely penetrated her mind, the depths of her soul. They had taken her and without her permission or consent driven her into a void that blasted mere thought, mere feeling away with the sheer force of its physical presence.

She stood up, leaning over the kitchen waste bin and emptying the sparse contents of her stomach. She rose a moment later, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she stepped out of the kitchen.

"I'm getting sick of people invading my mind whenever they fucking want to!" She yelled as she crossed the hallway. Her hand came to rest on the doorknob there with every intention of ripping it open and finding Shadi and forcing an explanation out of him.

A hand slipped into her free one from behind and that…stopped her. She turned her head over her shoulder, glancing at Yami.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there sooner." He said.

"Don't apologize!" She replied.

Believing he had offended her, he opened his mouth to explain. He was wholly unprepared for her reaction; she turned on her heel, wrapping her arms around his waist as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't _want_ you to _protect_ me." She whispered. "I want you to _teach_ me to protect myself."

She heard his breath hitch slightly. She bit down on her lip slightly, letting her hand slide down his waist to twine with his fingers. She inhaled once, continuing before she lost her nerve, "I don't want you to stand _between_ me and danger. I want you to stand _beside_ me."

It was hard to put what she felt into words. She wanted a man who considered her an equal, as valuable a potential asset as he was. She wanted a man that could take her for all she was, not just an individual spirit, but as a corporeal form, too. Even in her world, where blood and gore was life itself, men couldn't handle things as simple as menstruation.

But here he was holding her despite the odor of blood and bile that she knew clung to her.

Now that she had started, the words just spilled from her lips, "Yami…the best part of this whole thing is…you…you saw me…" Her flaws, her fears, her worst memories, "And…it didn't stop you. Even though, I'm damaged…you…came."

He pushed her away with sudden veracity, his hands coming down on her shoulders, "You aren't human without your flaws!" He asserted as he pulled her back against his chest. His arms came around her, holding her there.

"How can I not accept those things when you've accepted a person without a past?" He asked.

Sakura had wondered the same thing and her conclusion had been immediate: It didn't matter. The past only went so far in making you who you were. He could have been a serial killer in his murky ancient history and she wouldn't have cared. Because…in the end, it came down to choice. He chose to keep going, chose to learn from his mistakes…chose her…

And she had chosen him…a shock like adrenaline flooded her body; she had chosen _him_. She for once had pursued something without the conquest consuming her beneath its crushing burden. Her decision to go to Tsunade had been borne out of a similar desire, but…there were no weights, no lines attached to this one…nothing to hold her back or drag her down…

"If its memories you want," She began, her hands coming up to cradle his face, "We'll make enough for a lifetime."

Sakura suddenly realized she had long since stopped seeing him with her eyes. They were closed now…the link that he had used to save her from the darkness of her own mind hadn't fully faded and now they were more than complementary halves…they were part of each other for a second.

He opened himself to her, letting her step into the inner sanctum of his soul. He reached out to her from beyond but within the corporeal form of the body that housed him, tentatively entering the core of her being. She didn't flinch back despite the violent invasion only hours old.

They sank to the floor together, his hands coming up against her forearms to steady her. Words weren't necessary…thoughts and feelings replaced them.

_Show me your world…show me…who you are…who I am…show me…_

The sudden press of his lips against her was all the answer she needed: I don't know. But we'll find out…together.

* * *

Lynn's arms were crossed over her ample breasts as she stared at a computer screen. Her search so far had been fruitless. But that wouldn't be a problem for much longer.

She smirked as someone knocked, announcing himself. She called back, telling him to come in. The door opened, revealing a tall man with angular silver hair and a tailored crimson suit.

"You wanted to see me, Ms. Haruno?" Pegasus asked.

"You said you knew who this Shadi was." She turned her hazel gaze to the Duel Monster creator. "I can't stand the idea of some strange guy I've never met before in my life just waltzed into my mind, into the depths of my soul, in search of something. I'm not even sure what he was looking for! You know him better than I do. So if you don't mind, I want some answers as to what he is and what powers his Millennium item holds."

Pegasus's eyes narrowed, "How do you know about the Millennium…"

Lynn quickly cut him off, "I lived with Yugi and I know Bakura. I'm not dumb, Pegasus."

Pegasus sighed, sitting himself down on the couch in her office. He crossed his legs, his eyes darting to the left as he hesitantly admitted, "I suppose you have every right to know since you've encountered him before."

"Not so fast."

Seto Kaiba entered the room in a flourish of silver and crisp white fabric. He eyed Pegasus severely before telling him coldly that _now _he could continue.

"What are you doing here, Seto?" Lynn asked, confused.

"I don't actually believe this nonsense. I just want to make sure he doesn't contaminate your mind with anymore bullshit." Kaiba replied, sitting himself down on the same couch.

The red-head frowned as she glanced at him, a slender eyebrow quirked. If what he said was true, he wouldn't have been there at all. He would still be working on his latest project. But most people never got close enough to the CEO to even glimpse the inner workings of his mind.

Deciding she didn't care for the moment, she turned her eyes back to Pegasus. Her head bobbed in a silent nod as she pressed her hip against the desk, balancing her weight there as he spoke.

* * *

Sakura watched a storm rage across Domino from her place on the sofa. She was curled against her lover, his arm wrapped around her waist. A flash of lightning colored the room a moment later, blanching the twisting tree branches waving outside. But the crack of thunder that followed hardly disturbed her; the steady thrum of his heart was steadily lulling her to sleep.

The centuries' old spirit watched as her eyelids slid down seamlessly. The rhythmic rise and fall of her abdomen against his hand confirmed that she had drifted off. Smiling softly, he pulled a familiar thrown from the back of the couch and spread it across their bodies.

He watched her for a time, letting the lightning guide his eyes across the planes of her face, before finally allowing sleep to claim him, as well.

* * *

Kaiba slid in beside his lover, letting his hand gloss the crimson sheen of hair against the pale pillow case. She moaned slightly, blinking as she turned over to face him. Surprise flashed across her beautiful features as she sat up.

"Seto…what are you doing here?" She asked, unsure of what else to say as she sat up. "What time is it?"

Her eyes fell to the watch that circled her wrist: Three in the morning. More than five hours after she had fallen asleep.

"Coming to bed." He replied with a smirk.

Lynn's face underwent an odd series of changes in expression before she finally settled on confusion. Enjoying her off-balance reaction, Seto leaned in, kissing her lightly. In the flash of lightning that ensued a moment later, he could see the bloom of color that suffused her cheeks. "What were you doing up so late?"

Of course, late nights were nothing new to either of them. But even allowing for that, it was a ridiculous amount of time even for him to be up. Particularly that he woke up, no matter what the circumstances, at six. No matter what.

He laid down, slipping his arm around her shoulders as he pulled her down next to him. Her hand slipped across his chest, coming to rest over his heart.

"I've ordered a security detail for you." He said.

"For what?" She demanded, somewhat incredulous.

"Your protection." He replied dryly.

Lynn opened her mouth to respond only to find that words failed to form. She gazed up into his eyes, touched that he had gone through the trouble of finding someone for her.

"Seto…I don't need that." She finally said.

"Too bad." He responded.

"Stubborn bastard." She purred.

He just smirked as he arranged the quilt around them.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven: Doppler Effect**_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

It was the squeak of the door as it opened that woke the kunoichi. Her green eyes snapped open and she sat up, coming face to face with a group of four very shocked teenagers. She watched their eyes drift from her and Yami, who sat up, scratching nervously at the back of his head, to the kitchen---the tile still littered with shards of broken glass and smears of blood---back to them.

Joey chuckled uncomfortably as he asked if there was something they should know. Duke, at the very least, had the good sense to bring his hand to his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laughter. Tristan and Tea, however, were still frozen in place, their eyes wide and their jaws dropped.

Finally, Tristan smirked, sliding up the Pharaoh. He nudged him with his elbow, winking at him. "Is there something going on between you two?"

Yami opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out; he had imagined with all the news airing about his relationship in the last few days, they would have heard about it. In fact, the only thing about the whole media circus that hadn't bugged him was the idea that maybe with so much of it being aired he could avoid the very situation he was now facing.

Tea was much faster than the King of Games; her arm snapped out, capturing Tristan and pulling him back. She shoved him into Joey, warning both of them to keep their mouths _shut_.

For a second, Sakura wondered if Tea was trying to avoid actually hearing Yami say that he and Sakura were a couple. And, really, she didn't blame her. It wasn't as though it was any particular secret that she felt something for the Pharaoh. And it didn't take a genius to see that she conflicted over her feelings for Yugi, too. The kunoichi didn't imagine the situation was any easier for the brunette than it was for her or Yami.

"Well," Duke finally smirked, "It's about time the King of Games got a love life."

Tea nodded firmly, winking at the still shocked and blushing pair on the couch.

_Yugi…a little help would be nice…_The Pharaoh said, calling out to the back of their shared mind.

_You're not shy with Sakura. Don't be shy with them. _

_ Whole new game, _Yami countered, _Whole new rules. _

The spirit didn't even wait for an affirmation before he leaned over, kissed Sakura on the cheek, and told her he'd be back later.

Shocked that she was being left to field questions, Sakura turned and cried, "Hey!" before she realized she was speaking to Yugi.

She opened her mouth to apologize. But that was about the moment they realized they were rather intimately tangled with each other. They gave a dual cry of alarm and shock as Yugi leapt to the right and Sakura dropped to the left.

"Oh, that's real mature, Pharaoh!" He yelled sarcastically, lifting the puzzle away from his chest and shaking it.

"I'm sorry about that, Sakura." He added before turning away and trying to explain the situation to his friends.

They took most of it pretty well…at least until the part about the glass and the bloodstains came up. Things were said that would have made Tsunade blush…Thoroughly embarrassed, Sakura hid her eyes behind her palm, crossing her free arm across her chest.

Tea promptly grabbed a pillow, whacking both Joey and Tristan into silence. She ordered them both to _stay_ down before she tossed it aside, shook her head to fix her hair, and smiled at Sakura with a knowing thumbs-up.

The embarrassed kunoichi ducked down behind Yugi, hiding behind his back. He spread his arm in mock-defense, smiling uncomfortably at the congregation in his living room.

"Well, either way, we should clean up that kitchen." Duke finally said, motioning to the kitchen.

"It's my blood; I'll take care of it." Sakura volunteered.

"Something tells me you're not getting out their interrogation so easily." Duke replied, his eyes falling to Joey and Tristan.

* * *

In the end, Tea ordered them to back off long enough for the flustered female to shower and change. Sakura happily complied with the plan, sprinting up the stairs. When she ran back down about fifteen minutes later, Tea was in the middle of preparing breakfast: potatoes, pancakes, eggs, and coffee.

The kunoichi took a minute to give Yugi a hug, telling him quietly that she really appreciated all the crap he had dealt with for the two of them. She didn't see his blush as she pulled away. Of course, he was quite used to getting hugged by females. After all, Tea was one of his closest friends. But getting hugged by Sakura was much more like being hugged by a woman…

He shook his head, stopping his train of thought in its tracks. He turned his attention back to the scene at the table, which, of course, was already starting to get interesting.

"So…Sakura," Joey began with a wicked twinkle in his eyes.

She cut him off with a knowing smile, "How's Mai?"

The Brooklyn blonde fumbled for a reply. Thoroughly satisfied, Sakura smirked at him from across the room. She lifted a cup of coffee to her lips, thinking privately to herself that victory had never been tasted quite so…strong.

She pushed the cup aside a moment later as an odd chill crawled across her skin. She bit down on her lip, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she reached for the dagger she habitually kept strapped to her thigh.

"I'll be right back." She said with a forced smile as she excused herself from the kitchen.

She crossed the hall, throwing open the Mutou's door. Sure enough, there were two people walking up the cement path: a man and a woman, both of them dressed in light linen.

Her viridian gaze fell first to the ax-like rod the male held, then to the necklace that graced the female's slender throat. Both of them bore the Eye of Horus…Though her experiences with Yami had confirmed for her that not all of the Millennium Item holders were insane, the vast majority of them seemed to fall in that category. With that in mind, she couldn't very well give them free access to her friends and lover.

"Stop right there." Sakura hissed, pulling the dagger free from its holster. "I want to know exactly what the hell it is you people want. And if it's a stroll in someone's mind, then I'm afraid we're going to have a problem."

Ishizu stopped in her tracks, though it was hardly fear that stilled her. As a holder of a Sennen Item, she could crush the woman's mind, killing her, before she could lunge at them. But her hostility did confirm what the Millennium Tauk had shown her.

Shadi had most certainly but up to his usual shadowy ventures…the Egyptian female shot a knowing glance at her brother.

"I assure you, we mean no harm. We're friends of Yugi's." Marik said, and though that would have been a lie a scant few months earlier, it was the truth in that moment.

The woman with pink hair considered this before she called into the house. Even in the precarious position the three of them were balanced between, she had to admit she was somewhat impressed with the evenness of her voice.

It took only a moment for the duelist in question to appear in the doorway. He nodded to Sakura with a smile before greeting the siblings.

"Hey, Marik, Ishizu, what brings you two here?"

"I wish we could say we were here for a visit." Marik responded, "We heard Shadi was in town, which would explain the bizarre reactions of our Millennium Items. We came to find out exactly what's going on."

"That's weird." Yugi admitted, "Well, come on inside."

* * *

Most of the conversation was lost on Sakura for a few reasons, the first being that she had no knowledge of ancient Egypt and its culture. Secondly, she didn't know much about the Millennium Items in terms of their individual powers. And, thirdly, a lot of the back story, such as the events of Battle City, were, for her, here say.

But there was no denying the icy chill that snaked down her spine when Ishizu turned to her and asked permission to read her mind and soul. For a moment, the kunoichi was tempted to outright refuse; part of it was knee-jerk response to the trauma of the last 'reading' and the other part was more…personal.

Really, there was no getting around the fact that the perfect analogy for what had happened between her and Yami following Shadi's intrusion was sex. So for a moment, she couldn't help but equate a consensual reading to the act of cheating.

That wasn't the case, though. And she knew that they would learn more if she allowed it than if she didn't. So, before she could talk herself out of it, she nodded. But she did tack one final warning on the end of her agreement, "My mind…isn't the nicest place."

Ishizu accepted the warning with grace, asking her to relax. Sakura complied, taking a seat. She felt a pair of hands come down on her shoulders. Her gaze flickered up and she realized it was Marik.

She felt irrationally trapped. Her eyes found Yugi's and he smiled at her, taking her hand. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as Ishizu's hand came to hover parallel to her forehead.

Really, Ishuzu's intrusion was much gentler and more benign than Shadi's. But it still unnerved the kunoichi and her relief when she finally finished and withdrew from the corridors of Sakura's mind was so acute she didn't even bother hiding it. Marik went next, and, like his sister, he was careful. And the relief was still the same for her when he finally withdrew.

But that sense of respite quickly evaporated when the siblings shot knowing glances at each other. Neither of them looked particularly pleased, but they also didn't look overly disturbed.

She turned to ask them what had happened when the room began to shimmer oddly around her. Ishizu faded, replaced by a woman of remarkable likeness wearing a gold and silk headdress. Sakura's eyes flickered to Yugi only…he wasn't Yugi anymore…He was a man with much darker skin, wearing a number of gold ornaments. The tile beneath her feet faded to cold, rough stone. The smell of coffee disappeared, replaced by the musky richness of fertile soil.

She blinked several times, shaking her head to clear her head. And it seemed to work as a moment later the stone chamber was replaced by the kitchen.

"Did anyone else…" Did anyone else _what_? Feel the world turn upside down, rotate counterclockwise and shake a little? Suddenly have a weird hallucination? Where was there to _go _with _that _kind of sentence?

"What's up, Sakura?" Yugi asked.

"Uh…nothing." She replied, excusing herself from the room.

Ishizu glanced once and Yugi, who shrugged in confusion, before asking to use the phone. He directed her to the device where she made a call before telling him they would be in touch.

* * *

Back at KaibaCorp, Kaiba, who was hard at work like usual, wished he ignored the ringing of his phone. When he answered it, he immediately recognized the voice: Ishizu. What the hell was she doing calling so randomly like this? She said she and her brother wanted to meet up with him.

And, just as Kaiba was about to decline, she mentioned Lynn. Of course this got Kaiba's attention and demanded some answers about why Egyptians were suddenly taking an interest in his love life and all Ishizu said was he would get his answers at their meeting.

He summoned Lynn into his office, who was just as curious as to why Ishizu and Marik wanted to see them. If memory served her right, they were the two people who caused a lot of trouble during the Battle City tournament. But towards the end they turned out to be all right people; it was just Kaiba who trusted a select few, namely her and his brother.

They met at the designated meeting spot, someplace Kaiba already knew quite too well: the basement of the Domino Museum. Ishizu smiled at Lynn, saying what a pleasure it was to see her and Kaiba again; as for Kaiba, he wanted to spare the pleasantries.

Marik, knowing the CEO far too well, sighed and told his sister to just get on with it. Agreeing, they both did the reading, which Lynn didn't protest against. She was used to the items and their powers. She was slightly hesitant but, unlike her boyfriend, she knew she could trust the two Egyptians and their powers. The reading only lasted a few minutes and, like with Sakura, the two siblings exchanged glances.

"Well, that wasn't so ba-…" Lynn started to say until she blinked and her world suddenly changed. Grabbing her head, she glanced over at Kaiba, wondering if the same thing was happening to him.

But instead, she gasped with widened eyes. It was still Kaiba but he was different. His skin was darker and instead of his leather jacket and outfit he was wearing Egyptian garb, fit for someone of high power.

_What the…?_ She thought, no longer seeing the museum but instead, an Egyptian palace, Kaiba standing right beside her. And why was she seeing a darker skinned more evil looking Bakura?

Blinking once more, she shook her head and everything went back to normal.

"Okay, please tell me I wasn't the only one who saw that." She said, looking around.

"See what?" Kaiba replied, wondering if his girlfriend was finally losing it. But his ire was quickly directed at the two Egyptian siblings. "What have you done now?"

"A reading." Ishizu replied, somewhat annoyed by the man's brusqueness.

Kaiba snorted, pulling Lynn close as he all but physically shoved her through the door, "We're going."

* * *

Late nights were nothing new for Sakura. She had had plenty of them in Konoha, albeit in a lab rather than her lover's host body's living room. Though that, in and of itself, too, was becoming a regular occurrence. After all, with only a week before the tournament began, they didn't have much time to waste.

"And this…" Yami stopped when the card slipped from his hand. He shrugged with a pleasant sigh as he bent down to retrieve it.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something when the room around her dissolved. The carpet beneath her knees gave to smooth stone. Yami flickered in her vision, his skin and clothing morphing. And in his arms was…a body…

His eyes were narrowed with a number of emotions she wasn't entirely sure even she could identify…and that thought was…odd. Why would she think she knew more than anyone else?

But whatever conscious thoughts she still had were pulled beneath a current of fear as something massive moved in her peripherals. An ominous shadow fell across him and she cried out in alarm.

"Pharaoh!"

For another fraction of a second, she had an odd flash of awareness: Why did she call him that? It didn't make any sense…

But her body was moving without her consent. Her arm shot out in the same instant she called his name and she jerked him up. He was face to face with her when the room suddenly vanished, replaced by the Mutou living room.

She dropped his arm, stepping back in alarm. "Uh…sorry…I…I'm going to go for a walk."

She thought he might have tried to say something but by then she was already gone.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter Twelve: Opening Night**_

_**Disclaimer: We own nothing but Lynn Haruno!**_

The week passed with incredible speed. In her mind, it was like she had been practicing one second, and the next it was the night of the party. And, for all intensive purposes, that was the reality of the situation: They had locked themselves away for the last few days to do nothing but duel and prepare a deck for her. Of course, those weren't the only preparations that needed to be done…

Sakura sat on the edge of Yugi's bed in her white lace bra and underwear. Laid out on the mattress was an assortment of weapons. She sighed, wondering what she was really saying to herself, and about Lynn, by even bothering to arrange them in their holsters at all.

But the fact of the matter was that Lynn had already proven herself dangerous. And as much as Sakura wanted to deny the reality of that, instinct was overriding her emotions. She was a shinobi, and even if she hadn't had good cause for concern, she would have found herself in the same place.

Shaking her head, she lifted her knee to her chest to expose her thigh. She strapped the first holster there. It held three daggers, thin and almost perfectly flat. The next one rested along her calf-it was a something similar to a short sword. The third and final holster was a large, flexible panel of black cloth with dozens of tiny sheaths for senbon. Strapped to her abdomen properly, with the actual pack resting against her opposite hip, a man could have his hand resting on the curve of her leg without feeling it.

She rose from the bed, slipping into a long sheath of gathered crimson fabric. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline. The empire waist was decorated with small pearl beads. The skirt was tight around her thighs, flaring asymmetrically just below them to reveal a white lace trimmed with gold. A lattice of rose-like designs wound around the oblique cut in the scarlet fabric. Her neck was lined by a choker; an intricate knot of silver twists offset with a red gem in the center. Her arms were wrapped in long black gloves. She wore strappy black heels beneath the floor-length silk of her dress.

The kunoichi glanced once in the mirror, trying to be analytical about her appearance: The complex flower pattern hid the occasional disruption in the line of the dress from her holsters, the length gave her extra space to conceal weapons, and the pleating served to mask the subtle changes in her body language that she might not be able to consciously hide.

She sighed again; it would have been nice to have time with Yugi, to talk to him. She wanted to understand the Pharaoh better. But more than just being a source of information, he was her friend.

She was…confused. Things were happening so quickly between her and the ancient spirit, and there was so _much _of it. But more than the sheer quantity or speed, there was also incredible depth to it. It didn't make sense. And, in fact, it scared her that she felt as intensely as she did.

_'No…focus…' _Her internal reprimand was sharp. There was too much riding on the night to let her mind wander.

* * *

"Kaiba…you have to know that I _don't _like this." Lynn sighed as she smoothed her dress.

"So you've said." He replied icily.

The red-head glared at him through the mirror. He didn't drop his gaze, of course, and eventually she grew tired of their game and averted her hazel eyes. She crossed the room behind him, sitting down at her vanity to finish her hair.

There were certain unwritten responsibilities that came with being a CEO's love interest. He was constantly in the papers and tabloids, and any flaw in her appearance would reflect poorly on him. That factor was doubled when it came to her behavior.

Prior to Domino, she had been a rougher individual. She hadn't been afraid to use coarse language, physical strength, or threats of violent to her advantage. And although those urges were still there, she had gotten better at suppressing them beneath a veneer of false passivity.

She pushed her thoughts away as she arranged her long candy-apple red curls around her shoulder, pinning them. As she fiddled with her hair, she checked her make-up. It was all coordinated to match her gown-it was a stunning blood-red silk; the cloth itself had been woven with Japanese designs laid into the fabric. The quality was so exquisite that unless the light struck them at the perfect angle, they were invisible. Running along the left side of the full skirt was a thigh-high slit. But instead of baring her leg, it had been laid with a pure blue inset that was shot with silver threads in the same design as the cherry-colored cloth. The strapless bodice was trimmed with soft black lace in the same swirling rose patterns one might find on a garter-her eyes were rimmed with black and dusted with pale blue shadow. Her lips were a deep, shimmering burgundy red.

"Seto…just remember the conversation we had." She finally snapped as she stood up and strapped her heels in place. She knew she certainly did…

_Lynn and Mokuba announced their arrival home;, they heard another voice in Kaiba's office, one that Mokuba knew all too well. Still holding Lynn's hand, she became confused when Mokuba's grip inexplicably tightened. Who did that other voice belong to? And why did it scare her little brother so badly? _

_ She stepped into his office, spotting a man wearing an old-fashioned red suit. His silver hair was worn long…particularly over one eye…_

_ "Welcome back, you two." Kaiba said in icy greet. But despite his chill, it was all Lynn could do not to go to pieces beneath his winter-blue gaze. Mokuba's eyes, however, were still on the stranger who had turned in his chair to smile at them. _

_ "My, my," He said, "Who is this charming young lady?" He asked as he rose, bowing respectfully. _

_ Kaiba stood up, rounding the desk. "This is Lynn. Lynn, this is Maximillion Pegasus, creator of Duel Monsters and the president of Industrial Illusions." _

_ "Pleasure to meet you." Pegasus purred, taking her hand and press his lips to it. _

_ Normally, she wouldn't have minded the gesture. She traveled often with Kaiba, and she was accustomed to that form of greeting. But something about his aura made her uncomfortable. As politely as she could, she let her hand slip from his before stepping just past him and pointedly kissing Kaiba on the cheek. _

_ "Pegasus is here to co-sponsor our next tournament." _

_ "Another…tournament…?" She asked. _

_ "I have to test a new duel disc." He replied as a means of explanation. _

_ She held her tongue. She generally didn't mind voicing her disapproval, but she knew better than to jeopardize a potential business contract by discussing the matter of their romantic liaison openly. It was just…difficult to be with him when so much of his time was already eaten up by the needs of his business and expanding industry. And another tournament was sure to be their relationship on the rocks for a little while. _

_ And though her former life style had acclimated her to lost loved ones and broken dreams, she wanted more than anything for this one to work. Perhaps, it was her own insecurities; because if she couldn't make it work outside of the daily blood and battle of a shinobi career, then the problem lie in her and not her environment. _

_ "Yes, and I'll be hosting the opening affairs." Pegasus interjected, his eyes falling to hers. _

_ Had there been another shinobi in the room, they would have realized how much that gaze alarmed her…Her chakra spike was sharp and violent..._

_ She opened her mouth to say something when the TV, left on behind them, came through with a report…She growled under her breath; those damned reporters could not have chosen a worse time to air their latest morsel of 'news'. And she might have even forgiven that had it not been on the subject of her sister and her apparent romance with the Pharaoh. _

_ "Oh, my," Pegasus chuckled, crossing his left leg over his right, "It seems Yugi-boy has finally found someone for him. And, really, he deserves it after all he's been through." _

_ Lynn wasn't sure why, but the statement sounded…barbed to her. Her gaze flickered up to Kaiba's and she instantly recognized that glint in his blue eyes…_

The red-headed beauty also remembered the conversation that had come later that same night…

_"I swear, Seto, if you do anything to harm my sister…" _

_ "It's not her I'm after." He interrupted, loosening his tie. _

_ "I know how you are, Seto Kaiba." She scoffed, her gaze bordering on lethal, "You have her involved in your little plan somehow." _

_ But to the surprise of her lover, she smirked instead of yelling. Crossing her arms over her full chest, she leaned back in her seat and watched him. _

_ "I'll warn you now, Seto, if you try to use her, you're going to find yourself high and dry very quickly. My sister isn't someone to underestimate. If you think you can use her as an advantage over Yugi, you're going to unpleasantly surprised. And if you insist on continuing with this scheme, let me add that I will be the first one to laugh in your face when it does backfire." _

Lynn shook her head gently, trying not to dishevel her hair. She glanced over her shoulder, urging him to hurry up. And despite her anger, she waited for him to finish dressing so they could enter the ballroom as a couple.

* * *

"You look beautiful." Yami commented as he helped her from the cab.

"You don't look half bad yourself." She purred back. He was handsome by any standard, but a tailored white suit didn't hurt his looks. In fact, it seemed to contribute to his overall manner. A suit lent him a certain appearance of authority that his usual leather attire didn't.

Sakura smiled at him, blushing when she suddenly realized something; her heels were only about three-quarters of an inch…and though she could easily write that off as a simple desire for comfort, she had worn taller for longer and more tedious events…

She turned on her heel, taking his arm and hiding her face behind a curtain of pink hair. She abruptly was beginning to feel like a genin. She remembered being choosy about her heels for Academy events because she didn't want to be taller than Sasuke…

Oddly, that didn't…that didn't annoy her. It was…a little bit of innocent thrust into her day. And in her world, anything sacred or pure was worth risking your life over because it came so rarely. Because it was fleeting…

They stepped into the procession of people filtering into the black-tie formal event. Systematically, they filed into the elaborately decorated ballroom.

The room's darkness was cut only by gorgeous sprays of white light that emanated in intricate patterns from the ceiling. The circular tables covering the first half of the massive wooden floor expanse were cloaked in silver. Large bouquets of orchids, lilies, and roses served as centerpieces.

"Wow…" Sakura trailed off.

"Kaiba rarely spares expense." Yami replied as he found their table.

Pulling her seat out for her, he glanced around the room and realized that it was unlikely to be an event thrown for face value. Among the guests he saw were dozens of not just Japan's best duelists, but those ranked on the global scale.

Sakura eyed the same clot of people; though, to her, they could all have easily been threats. And in such a large, open room, it would be child's play for someone to get behind her…

She turned to say something to Yami, but he was suddenly being addressed by several other duelists. She sighed, smiling despite the situation. It was amusing to see how the King of Games rather fell apart in social situations.

But she knew that the lightness of the moment wasn't going to last long…

* * *

"Its time your sister understood the rules of our game, Lynn." Seto smirked, handing her the first prototype of the duel disk. "Let her learn the hard way she shouldn't mess with the Queen." The new line was lighter, sleeker than its predecessor and it fit her arm beautifully. Its new design, meant to be more accommodating of personal style and preference, had in part been her idea.

She thought the old disks were too mechanical for female duelists. She wanted something more feminine without the stereotypical flowers, puppies, and rainbows approach. The end result of that desire had been a duel disk with a spiral design over the holographics computer that comprised the center of the device. The fiber glass case that snapped over it came in a number of jewel-tones, and the LED lights for the face-down, spell and trap card slots could be changed out at will.

Of course, the design hadn't been the only change. Kaiba reasoned that a full-scale revamp at the very least justified a complete system restructure. He had his teams work of the holographic systems to make the 3-D images even more convincing, and he had all of the known cards profiled to give them their unique personalities in combat.

She nodded to her lover with a confident smirk that belied her true anxiety. She was reasonably sure she could defeat her sister. It was a matter of wanting to…

* * *

The curtain pulling back drew Sakura's attention immediately. But to say that it was a surprise to see Lynn standing on the stage was an understatement. It was Kaiba's ball…so where was he?

Lynn opened her mouth, her crimson lips gleaming in the light, "Good evening, Duelists. As you all know, Kaiba Corporation recently came out with its newest line of dueling products. And, of course, that line includes the Duel Disk Version X. Tomorrow morning, when the tournament opens, you are to register and pick up your new disk. Your decks will be checked for illegal cards and then you will be turned loose. First one to collect twelve pass cards wins." She punctuated her statement with a wink.

"But, naturally," She continued, "Mr. Kaiba understands that you don't want to use a product you haven't seen in action. Hence why I'm here. Exhibition duel, anyone?"

A chorus of cheers rose from the crowd.

"And our lucky guinea pig is…" She read the small slip of paper in her hand with faux surprise, "The new girl in town."

Sakura felt her throat go dry as she hoped, _prayed _there was some other new girl in town. But Lynn effectively put an end to that wish when she added, "Sakura Haruno."

Yami shot a glance at Sakura. He had been quite prepared for that fact that Lynn and Sakura would eventually duel. But he had been certain that opening night would be Kaiba's last stand against him before the tournament actually began.

The kunoichi didn't even return his gaze as she stood up. She smoothed her dress over her thighs, walking onto the stage with undeniable dignity and grace. She accepted the disk passed to her, slipping her deck into the appropriate slot.

She eyed her sister with unmistakable disdain as the disk unfurled.

And that only added to eeriness of the fluidity with which they moved; they drew cards in perfect time and even their breathing and blinking was synchronized. Everything about them was so…perfectly fitted. If one shifted right, the other moved left…

It made Yami realize that things could only get harder…

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter Thirteen: Prelude to Hidden Truth**_

_**Disclaimer: One more time! We do NOT own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh but one of us DOES own Lynn! So hands off! I know it's hard folks. ~.^ Also, when Lynn is yelling at Seto, her words come from the song, "We Are W.I.T.C.H" by Marrion Raven. **_

Yami shifted uncomfortably, eyeing the two feuding sisters; normally, he was able to read the true desires of two duelists and to determine the purity of those wants. But even he couldn't tell whether or not they were fighting for their relationship or for the end of it.

The severe, even hateful, glares they shot at each other seemed to suggest the latter, but he also saw a certain hesitancy to harm each other in the way they held back their combinations…And the energy that raged between them raced along a spectrum even he couldn't identify…

_Their pride…their love…their resentment and bitterness…it's all being laid out here and now._ He realized in a moment of sudden clarity. _Even they don't know what they want…_

But thoughts for his lover quickly evaporated as a much more sinister energy pervaded the crowd. His ruby colored eyes darted from the stage and into the mass of enthralled spectators, but he quickly realized that there was no one in the crowd capable of summoning that _concentration_ of Shadow Magic.

His gaze flickered back up to the stage for a fraction of an instant; he hated leaving Sakura in a moment he knew she would need his reassurance most. But he also knew that she would understand his need to leave…it was the same on that drove her each day in Konoha…

Innocent people were relying on her…

And with that thought, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Sakura's emerald gaze dropped from the duel and into the mass of duelists that were congregated at the edge of the raised stage, but she couldn't make out any one particular face. They all blended together in a shapeless, moving mass of ebony. And she suddenly felt very alone…

In Konoha, at the very least she would have had the comforting chakra signatures of her teammates to lock onto for vicarious support. But standing on the stage she felt nothing but her own raging, resolute need to prove herself.

Her hand came down on her deck to pull her next card but she abruptly stopped. Her eyes darted to the left as she tensed, bracing against an enemy she hadn't yet identified. A cold, formless chill danced across her skin, settling in an icy fist in the pit of her stomach.

A knee-jerk reaction brought her eyes to Lynn, who looked if at all possible even more disturbed than she felt…

The holograms in front of them suddenly began to ripple and distort and the lights above them flickered eerily as the music of the stereos panned away to violent white noise. The air charged with disturbing speed, thin lines of jagged electricity racing across the open expanses of the massive building.

_What on Earth? _Sakura wondered as she stepped back, trying to track the source of the malevolent energy in a place swarming with signatures.

But in that respect Lynn was already several steps ahead of her; she knew that energy all too well…

_Shit…when did he get here? And when did he get this powerful? _She bit down on her glossy red lips.

The unnatural flicker of the lights rose to a fever pitch, erratic strobes that danced dizzyingly across the stage to the screaming hiss of malfunctioning stereos. The air shimmered with an evil ebony luster, cut only by the trails of voltage as they zipped through the crowd.

Lynn suddenly snapped, screaming at Sakura to move. But by then, her cry was drowned in the collective scream of panic that rose from the crowd as the lights above them shattered. Jagged shards of glass rained into the crowd and in the same instant the stage dissolved into a conflagration of sparks as the audio systems exploded beneath the deluge of electricity.

Instinctively, the red head kicked off of the stage, arching her back. Her flip carried her back into the left staging area. She landed, but her heels slid out from under her and she fell against the hardwood floor. She eyes snapped up automatically as she watched in helpless horror as Sakura was thrown.

Tossed bodily, it was all Sakura could to do manage a combat roll. But her dress, tight across her thighs, locked in there. And in her position, with her left knee crossed over her right and her legs splayed, she had no chance to recover as the terrified crowd began to race for the doors.

"Sakura!" Lynn cried, pushing herself to her feet. But in that same instant, a hand came down on her elbow and spun her away. She landed against Kaiba's chest and his arms came around her, caging her as he ordered her to _move._

"Seto!" Lynn protested even as he pushed her away from the scene, reaching vainly for her sister before she was pulled under by the fleeing crowd.

Sakura saw her sister disappear behind a wave of frightened faces a split second before she herself was yanked from the floor by Yami.

* * *

"Are you alright?" Yami asked as he pushed her through the door of the shop, locking it behind him.

"Yeah," Sakura replied breathlessly, "I'm fine…but what the hell happened back there?"

The ancient Pharaoh sighed in sheer relief at her statement. He had wanted more than anything to protect her from harm, but even those feelings weren't straightforward; it was difficult to describe what he felt watching them duel…He wanted to aid her, he wanted to stay there and let her know that she had faith in him, and more pressing, he wanted to be the one dueling…the one to remind Lynn that power was far more complex, and came with many more responsibilities, than she treated it with. And, more importantly, that power wasn't everything when it came to the depth of life itself…

"I don't know." Yami finally spoke, running his hand through his spiky hair. He hadn't gotten very far into the building before the chaos broke. In fact, all he had managed to discern in the swirling concentration of Shadow Magic was that at least one of the Ishtar siblings was one of the combatants. Everything else had been muddled by the sheer _thickness_ of the shades the warring duelists had gathered.

The TV in the living room suddenly flickered to life with frantic reports on the incident and a clipped, curt statement from Kaiba, "A natural gas leak. Nothing more. The tournament will proceed as initially planned." The footage was abruptly cut as he stepped into his office, shutting the door behind him.

Sakura snorted femininely to herself in mild disgust. If that had been the case, she would have noted the physical symptoms of exposure, such as dizziness and a headache. And no one else in the crowd had showed any indication of exposure, either. And, of course, she had felt the Shadow Presence. It was almost impossible for anyone, even without shinobi training, to miss that much sheer hatred and evil congregated in one area. She crossed the room in three smooth strides, turning the program off.

Yami nodded his approval, having had more than enough of Kaiba's nonsense for one night. He understood the need to prevent widespread panic, but he was offended that his rival so easily wrote off clear indications that he was well out of his depth. And in doing so, he risked lives…souls…

"Come on, Yami…" Sakura suddenly sighed, cutting his train of thought, "The tournament begins in the morning whether we're ready or not."

He reached out almost instinctively, twining his fingers with hers and letting her lead him up the stairs. She pulled him through the doorway into Yugi's room with a certainty that spoke volumes about her profession; even in the dim, moonlit paleness of his partner's room, she easily found her way to the edge of his bed.

He watched as she kicked off her heels; raking her hand through her hair so that the loosened arrangement fell naturally against her shoulders, she reached behind herself and grasped the zipper of her dress.

Trying to be respectful, Yami averted his gaze. But her gentle sigh pulled his line of sight back to her. She glanced over her shoulder, smiling as she said, "Do you mind helping me? I think I jammed the zipper."

He eyed her cautiously; really, it wasn't so much the zipper as the thought of what completing her request would lead to. And he also didn't feel that she was being anything _but_ appropriate. His discomfort lie in the fact that her presence had opened him open to several experiences that, though the body he used was hardly his own, he didn't entirely know what to make of.

But he stood up nonetheless, gripping the clasp and giving it one long pull. Sakura's arms, wrapped around her dress, prevented the loosened sheath of crimson silk from sliding from her body, but did nothing to hide the creamy flesh of her smooth back. His cheeks flushed as he forced his eyes down and a moment later he heard the bathroom door close.

Sitting down on the bed, he tried to calm his racing heart when an echo chimed from the back of his mind.

_She's pretty, Yami. _

_That she is, Aibou. _He agreed with a smirk.

_What do you think…is going to happen tomorrow? _Yugi asked a moment later.

_I don't know, _Yami admitted, _but I have no doubt that we'll be able to overcome it. _

_And Sakura? _

The ancient spirit hesitated for a moment at the mention of her name. He didn't doubt her strength as a duelist; quite the opposite. He had no doubt that with her learning curve and determination that she would be able to hold her own in a duel. And he knew, instinctively, that fate was on her side. But that didn't entirely assuage his fears.

_She'll be fine, Yugi. We have to believe that. _He finally replied.

For a long moment, he stared at the ceiling, wondering what the day would bring. It was hard to fight a faceless enemy, and the situation was only complicated by the fact that they weren't being forthright in any one particular pursuit. At least with Dark Marik, there was never any question as to his objectives.

The weight of the bed suddenly shifted and his gaze dropped reflexively as Sakura stretched out against him, her head coming to rest in his lap. Concern lined her delicate ivory features as she reached up to cup his hand with her palm.

"Are you alright?"

He reached down, brushing strands of pink hair away from her face, "I'm fine, Sakura."

His eyes drifted away in an attempt to suppress the half-flush already suffusing his cheeks. And his gaze fell on a severe disruption along the plane of her stomach…a raised, jagged scar ran just below the ridge of her ribcage, reflecting the moonlight.

"What…happened here?" He asked before he could stop himself.

He reached out, hardly believing that someone could survive the wound that preceded it. But in that same second he pulled away, unable to rationalize that _not _affecting her to the day.

Sakura's hand shot up, capturing his. "It doesn't hurt, Yami. The memory isn't even painful anymore." She pulled his hand down, letting his fingers brush the uneven crease of flesh.

Enthralled, he traced the outline of it with his fingertips. He had known her line of work was dangerous…but to see the physical proof of that danger was another matter, and it struck him harder than he cared to admit, even to himself.

He didn't even realize that his touch and wandered onto the soft, supple flesh that limned the jagged scar.

Sakura trembled beneath him, and she saw a smile part his lips. Instinctively aware that her shiver wasn't one of pain or fear, he suddenly realized that their proximity had closed considerably: When she had pulled his hand down, he had bent his back, and now their lips were all but pressed to one another.

And though he was still acutely unaware of what couples did in the dark depths of night and the private sanctuary of their own bedrooms, he did recognize the hot, thick tension building between their bodies.

And he was suddenly intensely aware of what she was wearing…her cropped tank, thin and almost transparent, hugged her firm breasts. Her slender legs were bared to the top of the thigh by her tight black shirts, exposing the feminine curve of her hips.

Sakura swallowed against her dry throat, trying desperately to keep her breathing level. And that was as confusing for the kunoichi as Yami's newfound sexuality was for him…

It wasn't even that she was a virgin…but to say that she had ever enjoyed the nights she spent with the men she had was a lie. She didn't regret, even once, the sacrifice she made for Konoha on those long hours of darkness that spanned into eternity before the dawn. But even then, there wasn't room for resentment or anger…there was only the focus of her mission, the need to be acutely aware of her surroundings even as she moaned for more, cried out with her false climaxes. There was only room in her mind, in the situation, for the mission, the completion of the objective…

But there was still a very virgin flutter of excited apprehension that raced down her spine and settle hotly in the pit of her stomach as his fingertips brushed against her skin. And though she had ever physical desire to let him take her, she wasn't ready, platonically, for that leap…

And in that same moment he broke away, stretching himself out next to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Smiling, she reached down to twine her fingers with his as he buried his head n her shock of pink hair.

"Get some sleep, Sakura." He told her, the smirk in his voice apparent.

"Didn't I just tell you the same thing?" She replied playfully.

He purred back in a quiet, half-confession of his mock guilt as the darkness wrapped around them and lulled them to their sleep.

* * *

Lynn angrily pulled away from Kaiba's arms as the door to the limo opened, camera flash blinding them. She couldn't believe she dealt with the media storm that was his life…

But more importantly, she wasn't going to let Mokuba deal with it. She wrapped her arms around him as they slid from the car, snapping at Kaiba that he could handle the cameras. She didn't even wait for a response before she ushered the boy she considered her son into the Corporation's building.

Kaiba watched her slam the door behind her before he sighed, turned to the media. In his usual, icy tone he informed them that it had been an unfortunate accident caused by a natural gas leak. He added that he was already in the process of ensuring that no one was harmed.

It was followed quickly by an assertion that Battle City II was going to continue on schedule.

* * *

In his office, Lynn watched the entire circus play out. And she couldn't believe what he had just said…

Her fist came down hard on his desk, cracking the wooden veneer as she turned her dangerous hazel gaze up. _Like hell! A gas leak my ass!_ She sighed to herself, reining her emotions back in as she turned on her heel and walked back into the portion of the office that functioned as their living quarters.

She had Mokuba sit down on his bed, giving him a once over with her chakra just to make sure that her lover hadn't, for once, been right on with his explanation of the weird shit that followed after them like the news stations. But her intuition had been correct; Mokuba was fine, and she had no symptoms herself.

She had been aware that Kaiba would need to say something to keep the media off his back. But that didn't assuage her feelings…No matter what he said, it would reflect poorly on Kaiba Corporation in some way. In this case, their maintenance teams would look bad. And, to keep up the façade, he would likely have to let several go…But worse, he downplayed the severity of the evil that was just _flocking _to his tournament.

"Great." Kaiba hissed coldly as he stepped into his office, having apparently escaped the cameras for the time being.

Sitting himself down in his seat, he turned his blue eyes to Lynn. The red-head glared back for a moment before her tone became mysteriously light. She turned to Mokuba, telling him to go shower and get ready for bed.

The boy seemed quite happy to have an excuse to avoid the impending fight he saw coming down the road at him. He nodded, jumping out of his seat and disappearing into the hall as Lynn closed the door.

"A gas leak, Kaiba?" She began hotly, "Really?"

"I don't care what or whose elaborate joke this was, they will pay either way. Until then, this is as good as story as any." He replied, his eyes hardening.

"And I suppose the fact that I could _sense _what really happened doesn't mean a damn thing?"

"I don't want to hear any of your Shadow nonsense, Lynn." He snapped.

"And how the _fuck _else do you explain an _explosion_?"

"A gas leak makes far more sense than yours." He retorted, his hands already racing along his laptop keyboard with infuriating familiarity.

"Unlike you, _Kaiba_," Lynn yelled, snapping the top of his computer down, "I know when to admit when there's something! Our world is more than we see! When will you get that there's danger that lies beneath?"

She didn't wait for a reply before she stormed out of his office.

* * *

Lynn slipped into the room she shared with Kaiba, rather surprised to find Mokuba laying on their bed. She forced her face into a smile, unwilling to worry him when he was already under so much stress from the night.

She turned away, reaching for the zipper of her dress. She only wanted to pull it down a few inches to make climbing out of it a bit easier. And to her chagrin, as if her night really couldn't get any worse, she found the stubborn thing was stuck…

Mokuba, seeing her fiddle with it, stepped up to her and gave it a tug. He apologized for any damage with a sheepish grin, but she waved off that concern as she stepped into the bathroom. When she did exit the room, she was more than surprised, and far less than happy, to see Kaiba sitting on the edge of their bed.

"Where is Mokuba?" She asked coolly.

"Sleeping in his room." He replied with equal ice.

"I see you left the office early…that's a first. Must be the end of the world." She sniffed as she climbed into the bed, forcefully yanking the blanket over her shoulders.

"Just because you're coming to bed, _for once_, don't think this changes anything." She added.

To her irritation, he merely chuckled as he stretched himself out and pulled her close. And though they had been together for quite a while, it annoyed her that his ire was the least of his concerns. At the same time, though, she did understand he had larger concerns…

So she turned her head away, closed her eyes, and let herself drift off.

She didn't know that his eyes stayed on her even when she refused. He leaned down against her sleeping form, tucking strands of candy-apple colored hair away from her face. His lips ghosted over her ear as he whispered the three words that were their private vow.

And then he laid down and held her almost protectively…he would never admit it, even under pain of death, but seeing her tossed across the stage like that had been profoundly disturbing. And the obvious result of that disruption in the field of his mind had been his forcefulness in pulling her away from the chaos.

His eyes raked over her body, exposed by the thin red mini he had gotten her sometime earlier in the year, to the numerous scars that laced her stomach, legs, and arms. His gaze softened as he traced one that ran along her upper arm, remembering how she had playfully called them ugly. But even he could see pain flicker across her eyes as she spoke…

Sighing, he leaned back against his pillow and let his thoughts wander…

Though he would never admit it, not even to himself, there was a small voice tugging at the back of his mind that told him that perhaps Shadow magic really was part of the odd happenings that followed Yugi and his friends…

Deciding he didn't care to think it over any further, he closed his eyes, buried his face against her sweetly-scented hair, and let sleep claim him.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter Fourteen: Sparks Fly**_

_**Disclaimer: Lynn belongs to Tiffany, but we do NOT own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh! **_

_**Notes: All cards mentioned here are actual series releases. Moreover, the capacity in which they are used is approved either by the TCG Association or is used in a manner seen in the manga and novelization of the movie **_**The Pyramid of Light. **

Morning came much too quickly for the Mutou household. The beep of the alarm was a sound that suddenly seemed to chime damnation more than the start of a new day…

But they hardly had time to give into the darkness they both felt so acutely closing in around them. They had only one option: To fight. And the only outcome of those duels that they could accept was victory. There was too much as stake to allow for even the smallest error.

And those were still their resolute thoughts as they walked down to the registrar, obtained their duel disks, cataloged their decks, and were turned loose into Battle City II.

They split ways immediately, intent on covering as much of the city as possible. At that point, even seemingly inconsequential information could have led them to the perpetrator using the tournament as a vehicle for his motives.

* * *

Sakura thanked her defeated opponent as he handed over his clear pass card; she would still need several more to qualify for the quarterly and semi finals, but it was a good start. However, she was concerned that most of her opponents had been second or third-tier quality at best.

The tournament was a nationally advertised chance for the best and the brightest to test themselves and push the boundaries of their limitations. But she hadn't run into even one opponent of the skill that she knew she should have.

And it didn't take very long for her to find out why: All duelists were electronically monitored with their duels listed on a massive screen in the city square. Those stats included the number of duels they had entered, updated on the hour, along with their opponents as well as the outcomes of those duels.

But duelists were dropping at an alarming rate; several ties had resulted in both being knocked from the running, even though the regulations had made allowances for that. In the event of a stalemate, both duelists simply walked away, losing neither valuable cards nor their passes. And, given that each duelist was issued three cards to begin with, it wasn't possible for someone to be knocked from the running in almost half the duels she saw on the board.

She bit down on her lip as she considered her odds---she needed nine to qualify for the quarterfinals. And though with so many of their potential opponents already ousted, that left only two categories: the very weak, and the very strong.

The kunoichi turned on her heel, sprinting towards the pier.

* * *

Yami shuffled his deck for the thirteenth time that day. It was a habit that even he wasn't entirely aware of. But his anxiety often translated into an inability to hold still. And, from an outside perspective, his unease was illogical at best.

He had all but three of the pass cards he needed to guarantee a placement in the quarter finals. But since his first, victorious duel that morning, he had felt the shadows begin to creep up around him at every turn. And that only heightened the dual guard he shared with his Aibou.

"Yami!"

Her voice cut the air like a knife and he spun to face her. She stopped just short of actually colliding with him. Her hands fell to her knees as sweat rolled down her exposed arms and neck.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

She took several deep breaths before straightening her back and replying, "Something is very wrong."

"What happened?" He inquired bravely.

Her run down of her findings was astounding, to say the least. But he wasn't surprised by the proof of the revelation he had felt growing since the tournament had opened. His shock lie in the fact that it was happening with such _speed_.

His decision on the matter was difficult to make and even harder to voice. But he finally replied that the best thing they could was keep moving in opposite directions. It allowed them to cover the most ground while simultaneously eliminating the possibility that a double-duel would eliminate both of them from the running.

Attempting to lighten the severity of the situation, he added, "I'm sure you can handle yourself." His statement of faith was punctuated by a thumbs-up.

He watched her lips pulled up as she leaned in, kissing him lightly on the cheek, "I did learn from the best, right?"

He flushed as he turned away, forcing himself not to watch her leave. But even as he controlled the visible proof of his affection, he couldn't still the racing of his heart.

* * *

Lynn turned down an alleyway, smiling as she suggested that the two young duelists there, poised to battle, take their fight to the city square. She waited until the happily complying duo disappeared into the city to let her kind smirk fall.

Her eyes, dangerous, hardened like steel as they bore into the darkness. "You can stop hiding now."

The shadows parted at her hissed implication of the man's cowardice, revealing a man wrapped in a long black cloak. But there was nothing else to set him apart…no emblems she could trace, no features she could reference later on, nothing but the almost shapeless ebony outline of his body distorted by the length of his shroud.

"I should probably warn you that I have a problem with people stalking duelists in my precinct."

He ignored her statement, replying with obvious amusement, "So, _you're_ the Queen of Dueling."

"Well duh." Lynn snapped back, too annoyed to be concerned with the maturity of her answer.

"And if I found my opinion of you somewhat diminished now that I see you?"

"There's an easy way to correct that problem," She replied with an icy smirk as her duel disk sprang to life.

_Now that I've found the problem, I just have to hold out long enough to wait for some _back-up. _After all, I bet you're _just _as interested as I am_. She thought to herself as she drew her first five cards.

* * *

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks as the energy of the city itself changed. It wasn't Shadow Magic…but really, she found herself thinking even as she turned on her heel and kicked up into the skyline, it was an energy she would rather not have felt…

* * *

Lynn's chakra spiked again out of frustration; his style was hardly sophisticated. His juvenile manner of attacking, pulling back, and defending before trying the same failing tactic again was annoying. But her true ire lay somewhere else entirely.

She remembered that Orochimaru had tried a seemingly immature attack on her that in the end resulted in her branding with the curse-mark. It wasn't as though she wasn't acutely aware that her cockiness often got in her trouble; but not knowing the true strength of her opponent frustrated her. She didn't want to stay in her paranoid, high-alert mindset if he really was as weak as he appeared.

Her eyes suddenly darted just over the man's shoulder as a separate figure coalesced from the darkness. She would know that energy anywhere…after all, it was…a lot like hers…

"Do I even want to know?" Sakura asked, clearly annoyed as her gaze flickered between Lynn and the cloaked creep in front of her.

"This is the freak terrorizing the duelists." She replied, pulling another card.

"Then shut up and kick his ass!" Sakura snapped irritably. "But keep him intact. I have a few _questions_."

"It's not nice to call people names, My Queen," He interrupted icily, "It gives them incentive to crush you."

"Kicking his ass is exactly what I intend to do!" Lynn replied with a smirk before turning her eyes to the man, "Oh, shut up and bring it on! I have more power in my pinky finger than you do in that entire deck!"

It was her sister that spurred her to defeat him, to thoroughly crush his pathetic life points. But not for the reason that it seemed…Sakura was analyzing her deck and she knew it. And as much as she loved her sibling, she couldn't give her that kind of edge over her so soon.

Sakura's eyes fell away from Lynn as the man turned to run away, only to run smack dab into her. She shoved him against a wall, leaning uncomfortably close to him and asking him who the _hell _he was working for.

"Now, now, Sakura," Lynn hummed, "You know they don't respect you unless you show them your true strength."

The red-head lifted a garbage can, crushing it into a perfect round disk in the same motion. She dropped it, letting it clack to the dirty alley floor as she pinned him from the other side. "Let's chat, shall we?"

He smirked eerily, "Now, why would I do something like that? You'll find out soon enough."

"What do you mean by that?" Sakura hissed.

"I don't intend to spoil my master's test." He replied.

Sakura's lips pulled up, "I really don't have time for games. So, here's the deal, you're going to tell your _master_ that I can't _wait_ to meet him."

She and Lynn stepped back, releasing him from the human cage they had formed. He smiled at them oddly before he turned his back on them and began walking.

Lynn waited until his energy signature had faded into the white noise effect of the city before asking Sakura, "What now?"

"Don't think this changes, anything, Lynn." Her reply was short and clipped and she waited for no response before walking away.

_Well, this is interesting…_ Lynn thought to herself as she shrugged and turned in the opposite direction.

* * *

Sakura found herself back in the city square as the tournament wrapped up for the day. The duelists still meandering around waited only long enough for the board to be updated before they retired to their respective homes for the night. Of course, Yami had qualified within the first fifteen rounds for advancement, while she herself still needed four cards to secure her position.

For a long time, she stared at the results, trying to find a connection between the dropped duelists and the remaining competitors. But by then the links and associations stretched between them had become so convoluted and twisted that if there had even been one to begin with, it was lost in the chaos of the competition.

Sighing, she let her gaze drift to the expanse of water that stretched just visibly from the lower edge of the city into the sea. The sun, fading behind the horizon, painted the languid water with a bright orange-pink.

And she stared at it for well over fifteen minutes until Yami finally caught up with her. He smiled at her, asking her how her day had been. And she quickly relayed what information she had: Essentially, they still had no clue who their enemy was, what he or she wanted, or that person's motives for wanting it…

Yami commented that the only shred of luck they seemed to have had was the relatively weak front their enemy had lined up for them.

And that only made the kunoichi even more uncomfortable; she made a living of seeing past the double bluff in an instant. Seeing beneath the surface and its irregularities was part of her life…And she felt that the first duelist had been intentionally weak.

Something about the cards in his deck and the way he actually used them just didn't match up. There were too many powerful cards and too many combinations that he _could _have used, but didn't, that made her theorize that they were being lulled into a false sense of security.

She ran her hand through her pink hair with a sigh as her thoughts turned right back in on each other in a twisted circle. There was nothing more she could find for the day, she reasoned as she extended her hand to her lover.

"Let's go, Yami."

He nodded, taking her hand and ignoring the stares and comments as they started walking.

* * *

"Master Shadi, as requested, we have located the two Haruno women."

He turned his eyes to the man who had suffered intentional defeat at the hands of the elder and nodded his gratitude. "Thank you."

"Your orders?" He asked, bowed deeply with only his eyes raised in reverence.

"Proceed as planned. Dispatch our finest." He replied.

"Yes, Master."

Two men rose from the congregation of cloaked men. They bowed in a salute before they turned and faded into the distance of the darkening city.

* * *

"Going home so soon?"

Yami suddenly realized, as he sighed heavily, that the night was far from over. He turned, his eyes narrowing as they fell on two cloaked men. It was far too reminiscent of Dark Marik's Rare Hunter for his taste.

"Looks like we hit the jackpot!" The taller of the two giggled, "Pinky _and_ the Pharaoh!"

* * *

Lynn's head rested on her hand as she eyed the complicated screen before her. The dark plane, mapped with green lines of latitude and longitude, was dotted with an array of colored lights that diagramed the position of duelists based on the numeric code programmed into their duel disks.

An alert suddenly flickered to life as a circle automatically popped onto the screen, isolating a duel that was continuing well past the time limitations for the close of the first day. And though that, by itself, wasn't unusual---people did need to practice and rearranged their decks as they obtained cards---it was the duelists being isolated that concerned her: Yami and Sakura…

Their opponents were using an older model of Kaiba Corporations' disk, and it took her almost fifteen minutes to find the right reference codes to get names on them. But the information listed for them was almost two years old; given the very nature of the game, change was constant and the data was completely obsolete.

But even she could glean from what she had that these weren't people to be messed with lightly…

She picked up the phone and quickly punched in the digits she needed, "Get me a limo to the corner of Park Avenue and West in five minutes."

* * *

"Can we help you?" Sakura replied icily. She crossed her arms over her chest as she directed her lethal glare at them.

"We're here to annihilate you two." The tall one snickered with chilling innocence.

"I'm really not in the mood to deal with more of you but if you insist I'm more than happy to send you back to whatever slime pit you crawled from. Why don't we just spare the trouble?" Sakura replied.

Yami's eyes drifted to Sakura as an icy tendril raced up his spine. This was the battle-ready side of her that had become an inextricable part of who she was. But even consciously realizing that, he had a hard time reconciling the sheer veracity of the woman in front of him with the tenderness he recalled from the previous night.

But he was aware that he hardly had time to consider the facets of the woman he was falling in love with at that moment. After all, it appeared that they had a duel that needed winning. His eyes quickly flickered back to their newest enemies.

"You wish us to back down? How pathetic." The shorter one smirked.

"We are not scared by you, Pinky." The secondary statement was punctuated with another child-like chuckle.

"Okay, seriously, call me that one more time and I'm going to show you what I do to people like you in my free time." She replied evenly despite the new edge in her voice.

"Stand still, now, and let us destroy you." The second laughed.

That was enough for the former Pharaoh. He stepped up, using his body to partially shield his lover as he activated his disk, "The only ones going to be destroyed here today are you two. You made a foolish mistake in challenging us and now you must pay the cost!"

Sakura's eyes hardened as her own disk whirred to life. The odds were not on their side; though she and Yami were physically fine, they had just spent eight hours dueling. They were far from their mental best. And something told her the men in front of her were nothing like their comrade…

There was something about the sadistic, leering grins they shot at them that spoke of their ruthless intelligence. And their auras were just too collected…there was none of the pre-battle apprehension, none of the feelings that would, or should have, come naturally with simply stepping up to the plate. Worse, there was no irregularity that suggested they believed they truly had the duel won, either…There was simply nothing, physically, to read into.

And they were very quickly proving her intuition correct. Within the first few moves, she realized their decks were primarily Spell and Trap card based, and arranged in such a way that, when used together, they easily set up an almost airtight strategy.

One would use his Traps to eliminate the field of her monsters while the other used his Spell cards to do heavy damage to their Life Points. The duo had a set of devastating combinations that forced her and Yami to keep drawing and discarding cards, at the same time using complex spells and monster effects to benefit from the cards in their Graveyards in the form of massive Life Point bonuses. Even her lover, the King of Games, was struggling to protect their gauges and the few combinations they had managed to set up.

So Sakura decided to change their own _modus operandi_; she pulled away from the offensive line completely, allowing Yami to move in. At the same time, she slipped into the position of defense. And, given that was her specialty in the field, she quickly found herself thinking around them.

But even allowing for the fact that they had pulled themselves back from the brink of sure defeat, by then they were already at such a disadvantage that she wasn't sure they could win.

Gritting her teeth, her hand came down on her deck for her Draw Phase. An electric thrill shot through her as her fingertips brushed the card. Her eyes darted down to the image that was emblazoned on it…

_Magician's Valkyria…_

Sakura suddenly remembered a card she had seen in Yami's deck during their training: The Sorcerer of Dark Magic. That was when she realized that, even having been forced to discard as many of his cards as he had, he had consistently worked to hold onto one of them. That, and the fact that he had done little to protect the Spell-caster monsters he played, including his Dark Magician and His Dark Magician Girl, could meant only one thing…He had that card.

_Here goes…let's hope I'm right…_She thought as she laid the card down.

"I play Magician's Valkyria." She stated coolly.

"Is that all?" The tall one laughed as he prepared to draw.

"Who said I'm done?" Sakura smirked, "I play Creature Swap and offer my Valkyria to Yami."

The Pharaoh eyed her knowingly as he selected his Jack's Knight for the trade. Sakura then activated another card---the Swords of Revealing Light to trap not the opponent that would be in line for his phase next, but his partner, preemptively putting an end to their defensive combination string.

The man, clearly aware that he was trapped, attempted to use his last Spell card, a direct damage series card, but inadvertently activated Yami's first line of Defense: Mystical Space Typhoon. His field, primarily arranged to set his partner's attacks up, was useless without the opposite deck.

As Yami's turned panned around, he sacrificed Sakura's Valkyria and his own monster to summon his Sorcerer of Dark Magic. At that point, he had five magician cards in his Graveyard: the two Dark Magicians, The Chaos Dark Magician, The Vindictive Magician, and his lover's card. And with his newest card's effect---five hundred additional attack and defense points for each Spell-caster in his Graveyard, as well as the ability to negate Trap cards---he easily wiped the field clean.

With Sakura's Swords of Revealing Light still active, that man's turn was again skipped and in the next round, she obliterated their Life Points by using Change of Heart to take control of Yami's Sorcerer for a second attack.

The field was only just beginning to fade when a black car reeled hard around the corner and skidded to a violent stop. The door was thrown open, revealing Kaiba and Lynn in a flurry of color and motion.

Kaiba's cold blue eyes fell on the disappearing Sorcerer with distaste. It had been the card that had shattered his ultimate revenge against the former Pharaoh…But he hardly had time to wallow in his past defeats. He pivoted hard on his heel, pointing an accusing finger at one of them and demanding a good explanation of the attacks on duelists.

"I can't stand pathetic creeps making a mockery of _my_ tournament. Now, who are you working for and why?"

"We don't owe _you_ anything, Seto Kaiba," The taller of the two shot back with sudden maturity, "For those who believe in the magic of this world and the resurrection of the Shadow Games, you will find what you seek." And then he added strangly, "Master Shadi sends you his best regards and well wishes for your upcoming duels."

Sakura snapped, shoving the man against a wall. Her chakra spiked dangerously as she leaned in close to him and viciously whispered, "Tell _Shadi_ that if he keeps this up, he's going to give me no choice but to make a _personal_ visit."

The kunoichi threw the man aside in disgust and watched them scurry back into the dark city like cockroaches suddenly exposed to light.

Yami, his eyes on her back, had to admit that of all the things he had seen from Sakura, this was the only one that made him uncomfortable. He had known her temper was not something to be provoked, but the utter speed and intensity with which she had unleashed it made him nervous.

He had seen what she was capable of from her first fight with Lynn and, whether consciously or unconsciously, he had concluded that she was more than capable of _accidently_ harming someone…or worse.

That was the last thing they needed. With so much Shadow Magic already awakening dormant darkness in Domino and summoning more from the reaches of the Earth, they didn't need more turmoil in the city. And word that a murder had taken place in Kaiba's territory would cause everything from mass panic to full out political upheaval in the city; he was, after all, quite literally Domino's benefactor.

Though Yami didn't particularly care about his rival's title or position, he did want to avert catastrophe while they were still ahead; he walked up behind her, laying his hand on her shoulder. "We've already won, Sakura." He said, quietly telling her that she could calm down.

She reached up, wrapping her fingers around his. She understood that he had no way of knowing how under control her temper really was; if it hadn't been, her enemies would have been little more than a spray of crimson mist on the ground. But she was in no mood to try and explain it to him and settled on a simpler statement, "We should go, Yami."

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter Fifteen: Game Start**_

_**Disclaimer: We do NOT own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh! But Tiffany does own Haruno Lynn!**_

_**A/N: Listen to Uverworld's Gekidou to really get the full feel here. I wrote to that song for several hours.**_

_That_ was the sister Lynn had hoped Sakura would grow into: fierce, unafraid. She had worried that her absence in Konoha would cripple her sister, but quite apparently the very opposite had occurred. Sakura had flourished without Lynn there to rescue her from every single danger.

The red-head chuckled to herself as she thought that she wouldn't change a thing about her sister now. She really did love her, but now she had even more incentive to pursue her. After all, she would make a much more powerful sparring partner now…

Her gaze drifted to Yami's as she smirked knowingly. The Pharaoh didn't give any acknowledgement of even having seen her gesture as he turned away and walked in the opposite direction. His concern lay directly with Sakura: A duelist needed a clear mind to function. And anger clouded that judgement. He couldn't have cared less about Lynn's amusement and, to some degree, it even angered him. He didn't spare even a glance over his shoulder.

_Well, Saki, it looks like the next time we meet we're rivals. _The elder Haruno thought to herself as she watched the two figures fade.

* * *

Sakura stepped into the house, thinking to herself how good it was to be home…And then she had to stop and wonder when his home had become hers, as well…And though her love for Konoha was in no way diminished, she realized that it just felt _right_ to be with him.

She shook her thoughts away, unwilling to let romanticism into her mind just yet. There would be a time for courtship later. But for the moment, they had a lot more on their plates to consider than their relationship. Namely, what could very well be a set up for mass destruction and the renewal of the Dark Ages.

The kunoichi took a seat on the couch, turning on the TV and taking down the report about the current, and for the day, closed out results. She jotted down the tree diagram they presented, turned off the TV, and considered what their next move had to be.

"At this rate," She finally said, "The tournament won't last into the week. At best, we have two days."

Yami leaned against a nearby wall, racking his brain of answers. Deep in the recesses of his mind, he considered his options. But even with Yugi thinking the same enigma over, they just couldn't come to a conclusion. He knew that not many of the remaining duelists would be inclined to make an attempt on Kaiba, being the CEO of a company devoted to dueling merchandise and competitions, his lover, known as the Queen of Dueling, or himself, the King of Games. But with Sakura's current ranking, she was liable to be seen as a growing threat that needed eliminating. But that still didn't leave them with any information on Shadi or his intentions. In the end, there was nothing he could say. And his silence deeply unnerved the pink-haired female on his couch.

She tilted her head up to stare at the ceiling with a heavy sigh. She had been counting on that week to give her enough time to truly refine her strategies. Without that, she didn't know if she could force her learning curve up any higher.

"Yami…I'm not sure that we can win this…" She eventually said, "We don't even know what he wants…or why."

He chuckled despite his immediate unease over her sudden reservation, "Is that doubt I hear coming from a woman that just threatened her enemies to their face?" He walked over, looping his arm around her shoulders, "Sakura, I never thought I would hear you, of all people, doubt your strength. When I said that we would find a way, I meant it."

"Yami, just a few minutes ago, I very nearly cost us everything. If I hadn't pulled back when I did, we would have…"

He stopped dead in his figurative tracks; when they had been in the midst of the duel, he hadn't had time to be surprised or consider her motives. He had simply moved in. But to say that she had done anything short of extraordinary was a lie.

But now he knew that doubt had indeed slipped into her heart and he had to wonder if she pulled away often in her village…But to believe that would mean his faith in her was a lie, and that was a possibility he simply refused to consider.

"Why…_did_ you pull back?" He finally asked.

Sakura opened her mouth to reply but words were difficult in coming. She didn't know how to explain to him that her decision had been based purely on her desire not to be a burden. And it was apparent, in her eyes, that he was considering that she had done so to shrug the burden of the battle onto his shoulders.

She pulled back as if she'd been physically struck, tears of anger and heartbreak welling up in her green eyes. The mere _implication_ of his statement made her chest throb painfully. "Do you think that I pulled back so I purposely didn't have to fight? Do…you really think that was an easy decision for me to make?"

Her voice, level despite the tension in it, broke towards the end of her question. It had an incredibly hard decision to make…it felt like she was accepting personal defeat even as she assured their shared victory.

"Sakura, I _never_ thought that. And I never doubted your strength. I couldn't be more proud of you." He replied.

She heaved a sigh before asking, "Yami…I need to know if you think I should voluntarily drop from the tournament…"

"That is the last thing you want to do." He replied, "You would be giving our enemy exactly what he wants. Sakura, please, I need you there."

"You…mean that?" She asked.

"Every word."

The kunoichi's gaze softened as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in the curve of his neck. The Pharaoh smiled as he pulled her close.

* * *

Morning came all too quickly, but even sleep-deprivation didn't prevent the couple from again striking out into the city.

Having already secured his position, Yami made rounds to check on the progress of their friends while Sakura cinched the four victories she needed to qualify her for the quarterfinals. She was just finishing her final duel when she heard Yami's voice cut the air.

Turning, she felt an odd iciness come over at the expression on his face. Her eyes softened in concern as she asked what had happened.

"It's Mai and Joey. They were attacked." He replied solemnly.

"Are they alright?" She asked, alarm coloring her voice.

He nodded, a faint half-smile running across his lips in a poor attempt to assuage not only her fears, but his own. "They're fine. Both of them are moving into the quarterfinals."

"And the other positions?"

"Filled." He replied, "The final rounds begin tonight."

"What? Where?" Sakura cried.

"That location hasn't been disclosed, yet." He replied. "We've been asked to report back to the registration desk."

* * *

Mai and Joey stood together outside of the registration desk. The former of the two sat with her hip against the table, her arms folded across her ample breasts. The Brooklyn blonde stood beside her, his arms crossed against the back of his head. The only sign that they were truly unnerved by the events that had unfolded earlier that day was the deck of cards Mai held preemptively in her right hand.

The attack they had endured had been brutal to say the least; ambushed separately, their opponents had clearly done extensive research on their respective decks and had attempted to construct decks tailored to their specialties. It had been more luck than skill, on both ends, that had saved them from outright defeat…or worse.

"Joey! Mai!"

Their heads snapped up to the voice as it carried across the empty square. And despite the day, they couldn't help but smile at the sight of Yami and Sakura. It was nice to be facing their friends for once…

"What took you guys so long?" Mai asked with a smirk, "I was starting to think someone had finally managed to slow you two down."

"Please, no one can slow 'em down." Joey replied suggestively with a wink.

"Shut up, Joey." Sakura said with a good-natured smile, "You two are okay, though?"

"Those freaks didn't stand a chance." Mai shrugged, a faint smile on her lips.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something more when they were suddenly swarmed by men in black suits. Eight, nondescript black cars reeled hard around the corner, caging them against the desk and an imposing wall of ebony. Kaiba appeared in the middle of the mess, ordering the duelists to get into the cars.

Sakura shot a knowing glance at Yami as she was led away from him. He nodded almost imperceptibly, allowing himself to be directed to another car. His ruby eyes only just managed to catch Joey and Mai sliding into the vehicles opposite and parallel to him before the door slammed shut.

* * *

Unbeknownst to the duelists, at the same time, dozens of black cars, the Kaiba Corporations blimp, and several helicopters were taking off in different directions; there was no way for any one media agency to track all of them, and because none of the stations would work together, Seto Kaiba had effectively ensured that there would be nothing to disturb the finals.

* * *

The car came to a such an abrupt stop that even with her seatbelt fastened, Sakura was very nearly thrown against the side window. But she didn't have time to feel annoyance for the clumsy maneuver as the door opened. Sliding free of the car, she suddenly realized, with disdain, exactly where they were.

_Great…Just the place I'd hoped to end up…_She thought sarcastically to herself as she slid her duel disk over her arm. _As if he didn't have enough of a complex already…_

She tossed her hair away from her face as she turned her emerald gaze to the other cars pulling into the garage. In short order, the final duelists were assembled…except for one very obviously absent couple…

"Glad to see you made it, Saki." Lynn commented from behind her.

It took every ounce of control Sakura possessed not to jump. She turned her narrowed green eyes on her sister with a look that left little question as to the level of her annoyance. It was taboo to sneak up on a ninja, even on one you knew well, for a good reason…More often than not, it ended in unintentional bloodshed.

"You can congratulate her _if_ she wins, Lynn." Kaiba smirked.

Lynn didn't bother reply as he turned his attention to the group before him.

"Glad to see all of you made it." His tone left little to the imagination as to the truth of his words, "I trust all of you by now know where the finals are being held. Now, get to the roof and be quick about it. Come on, Lynn."

Seto turned away in a flurry of white and silver, his lover not far behind him.

Mai had the good taste to wait until they were out of earshot to comment, "And all this time I thought it was _him_ wrapped around _her_ little finger…"

"Eh, I wouldn't let those two bother you too much." Joey replied, "You know how those two are by now."

He didn't bother elaborating on his position before adding, "Let's focus on what's coming up next."

There was an unspoken but collective agreement among them that was the best they could do. After all, it wasn't like Kaiba had provided them much else to grab onto for support…

Something suddenly flickered at the edge of Sakura's peripherals. Stopping, she said, "Sorry, guys, I forgot something in the car. I'll catch up with you in a minute."

She watched them ascend the stairs of the Kaiba Corporation building, listening until their footfalls died back completely. Turning away, she pressed herself into the shadow of a nearby support column. Another figure materialized beside her in the same second.

"Ishizu, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked.

"Marik and I wanted to ensure that Shadi does not have the opportunity to harm someone."

"Then I assume a certain CEO doesn't know you're here." The kunoichi replied with a smirk.

"Naturally."

"Let's keep it that way." Sakura suggested, winking as she started after the group.

* * *

The pink-haired medic made it up to the roof just in time to hear Lynn chime who the first competitors would be. And, as if sparks weren't already flying, it was naturally what was probably the most tense couple in the entire city…mostly because they weren't a couple…

"You're…joking right?" Sakura began, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Those two?"

Yami could only nod.

_The two most sexually frustrated people in Domino…dueling each other…_She sighed to herself.

But for all the energy _already_ swirling around them, both of them were doing a good job of not giving away just how attracted they were. In fact, as usual, all they really had to say on the matter came in what they failed to say.

"You ready, Mai?" The Brooklyn blond asked, smirking.

"Just don't cry like a baby when I win this."

"Very funny." Joey replied.

Yami watched the duel start, unable to bring himself to cheer for one over the other…It was hard to believe they had come so far…

He was reminded of their very first duel in Duelist Kingdom, when they both couldn't stand each other. And, even allowing for that, it was Joey who saw right through the scent scheme she pulled to make other duelists believe she was psychic. It was Joey who made Mai believe in having friends and trusting others, not just herself. It was Joey who made her open her eyes and start seeing the world around her.

But Mai was hardly the same person she was back in Duelist Kingdom. Hell, it was Mai who had given up her chance at the finals so Joey could advance. The Harpy specialist was kinder and much gentler than she had been. She had grown as a person beneath Joey's constant harping and prodding.

And throughout the time they had known each other, it was like they took turns defending and protecting each other, like the time he refused to let Mai marry that movie star that wanted her so badly. Ever since then, though they would never admit it, more than just rivalry sparks flew between the two friends and duelists.

But the duel continued…it had to. And as life points were depleted, it soon became obvious who would be the victor. As Joey stood, eyeing the cards in his hand, glancing the monsters he had out on the field, his gaze switched over to Mai's side, who only had one Harpie Lady left, and whose life points were dwindling. His indecision was written plainly across his face as he considered what his next move would mean.

"For crying out loud, Joey, just get it over with!" Mai finally cried, a smile playing on her lips despite her statement. "We both know who the winner here is. Now, would you hurry up so we can get on with our lives?"

He nodded, a smirk coming across his face as he laid down his final card. His cry to attack was followed by a sudden backlash of light and wind as Mai's life points dropped. As the chaos settled, it became apparent that his last assault had driven her to her knees. Panic erupted visibly from the blond as he cried out to her, sprinting across the platform.

"Mai! Are you okay?"

"As if your puny attacks could actually harm me." She retorted playfully as she picked herself up. She winked at him, flashing him a congratulatory thumbs-up before she descended the stage.

"Hey…Mai…there's something I need to tell you…"

"What is it," She turned around, only to have her statement cut abruptly by the crash of his lips against hers. His arms came around her waist, holding her against his momentum as his tongue slid between the seam of her glossy mouth.

_That took them long enough…_Yami thought with an amused smirk.

"It's about damn time, Wheeler!" Mai commented as they broke apart, verbally mirroring the thoughts of the group as a whole.

"Kindly save it until after the tournament." Kaiba snapped from his place on the rooftop. And, in true fashion, he left no one else room to speak as he added, "You're hardly done, yet, Puppy. You're next opponent is Sakura."

"You have ten minutes to prepare." Lynn added, shooting Kaiba a look of irritation before directing Joey and her sister to rooms to prepare.

Yami watched his lover depart, imparting a final, reassuring squeeze on her hand as she walked away.

_Are you worried, Yami? _Yugi finally asked from the back of his mind.

_About what, Aibou?_

_About…the whole thing…You might have to duel Joey…or Sakura…_

_We don't know who will win, Aibou. _Yami offered, unsure of how much of his statement was wishful thinking.

_I want to agree with you, but Joey just got through winning one duel. He's probably tired. And even if he wasn't, Sakura learned from you…_

Yami had to give some ground on that. _True, Aibou. But we may yet be surprised._

Ten minutes passed quickly, and again the stage was set. And though the Pharaoh couldn't help but wonder what this would do to the group as a whole, his concern was quickly assuaged by Joey.

As the blond ascended the stage, he flashed a grin at the ancient spirit and told him that no matter what happened, nothing was going to change. Already, they had been through and seen too much with Sakura to let their friendship ride on one duel.

Yami didn't have time to reply as Joey climbed the platform and the battle began anew.

It was definitely a good opening statement to the change in Sakura's mentality; her moves were those of a seasoned duelist, and she let nothing slip in her strategy. Her deck, composed of equal portions of trap, spell, and monster cards, was more than balanced enough to give her the edge.

She set up careful combinations, letting Joey stumble into them with his eagerness. She set up the house of cards, so to speak, and let his actions bring it tumbling down. Eventually, it wasn't even a matter of who would win, but how long the duel could be drawn out.

And though Sakura could respect his fall back of biding time to find a way around her, she knew it was going to mean trouble for her later; mentally, duels were taxing. And with the best saved for last, she was going to need every ounce of intelligence and wit she had. So from that moment, she had to make a conscious effort to end it sooner. But finishing him wasn't the hard part…it was wanting to.

"I'm sorry, Joey." She whispered, laying down her final trap and setting off a combination that drove his Life Points to zero in a matter of moments.

Yami watched the platform disappear in a cloud of holographic debris. But really he was miles away from the battle being waged in front of him. He was several duels ahead, already calculating the odds of victory for one person and forming a mental line-up of his potential competitors. And now there was only one line of defense against the potential that he would have to duel his lover…

From a purely third person perspective, the worst part of that would be the fact that they knew each other's decks inside and out. He had helped her construct hers, and, in practice, he had used his deck. She was well aware of the pitfalls and traps that his cards had, and he knew all the combinations she could use. But…that was from a perspective he didn't have…

There was no question that he was going to give that duel his all. She wouldn't forgive him if he took it easy on her, and he knew that…He sighed to himself, suddenly, unwilling to consider what he would have to do mentally to prepare himself for that battle. But it was too early to consider that…

His ruby gaze turned to Lynn as she confirmed his thoughts.

"Well done, Sakura. But don't think that _I'm_ going to go easy on you." The red-head smirked, sliding a duel disk over her arm and taking her place.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter Sixteen: **_

_**Disclaimer: WE OWN NOTHING! NOT NARUTO, NOT YU-GI-OH! But one of us does own Lynn Haruno! Hands off! *grrrs* **_

"Hey!" Joey cried in protest, "She still has ten minutes to prepare, Lynn!"

"And I fully intend to give them." The red-head smirked.

"And I would _take_ them whether you gave them or not, _Lynn_." Sakura shot back as she stepped down from the platform. But rather than taking her leave to a room to prepare quietly, she took a place beside Yami.

Her hand twined with his and she leaned her head against his shoulder. She felt his fingers cinch around hers reassuringly. And she felt his breath brush her skin as he leaned to kiss her temple. And she felt…everything…What was left to hide or think about when you had already seen the depths of someone's soul? What was left to say but…

"I love you, Yami."

She felt him tense beneath her as he inhaled sharply. But in that same second, she was turned in his arms. His lips connected with hers, his arms caging her at the waist. The tangle of their tongues was passionate and the need for air came all too soon.

Even as he pulled away, Yami tightened his embrace and leaned in against her, whispering, "I love you, too, Sakura."

From the sideline, Lynn watched, unable to contain the smile that lit up her face. As happy as she had been for Sakura once she understood that she and the King of Games were an item, even she had had to wonder if it would last with so many women clamoring for him. But the answer to her own question seemed apparent.

_It's about time…_She thought to herself, deciding not to consider how many times in the last hour the same words had been echoed.

Her words, however, were hardly a reflection of her thoughts. "Okay, you two, time's up."

The red-head's gaze also took on new meaning as she glanced at her sister, "Looks like it's time to finish what we started. Prepare yourself, Saki. We both know that I'm not going to take it easy on you."

Sakura glared at her as she stepped into her position, replying dryly, "So you've said before."

The pink-haired medic quickly shuffled her deck and presented it to her sister. But Lynn waved her off, telling her that, "It's fine as is." Deciding she didn't want to consider Lynn's motives, the younger Haruno stepped into her place on the platform.

She knew that no one there had any way of knowing that, even in Yami's arms, she hadn't felt anything. She had to shut down and prepare herself for the battle…

Because a 'duel' simply didn't describe what was happening. And, really, it had stopped being a duel a long time before. It had become something so much simpler and so much more complicated at the same time. It was a battle, maybe even a war, that was about to be loosed. Lynn was the enemy and Sakura needed to eliminate her…it was easy to think about it in such black and white terms. But they _were_ sisters…cut from the same cloth of their parents and sharing a bond too important and too strong to relegate to anything less than a small portion of her soul.

But even allowing for that, there had been change. And the pink-haired medic was no stranger to the way time and circumstance morphed people. She herself had seen dramatic change even just in her first few days in Domino. That fact that she was standing on that platform at all was proof of that much.

And all the times that came before all of that…all the little things that had to add up for her to be where she was…her days with Lynn, her time as a genin, her first chunin exams, all the heartbreak and tears and blood that had been shed to pay the debt that was required for her to be who she was, where she was.

"You know, Sakura," Lynn said, shattering her concentration, "While I have your attention, there's something you need to know."

"And that would be?" The pink-haired chunin replied with open hostility.

The red-head continued as if she hadn't heard the veiled threat in her sister's voice, "You know, when Itachi left, I was devastated. It broke my heart."

_Heartbreak? _Sakura thought bitterly, _that isn't anything I'm new to. Don't act as if you're the only one who's ever lost something. _

Of course, they were both too wrapped in the battle that lay before them and inside of them to notice the way Kaiba's eyes drifted away; he had known, of course, who Itachi was. But he had never fully reconciled the fact that another hand had touched Lynn or feverishly whispered her name in the passionate dark.

"But," Lynn continued, thoughtfully laying down another card, "I didn't have time to mourn. I had you to look after."

Sakura bit down on her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood; how could she not take those words as an accusation? How _dare _Lynn blame anything on her? She had never asked her sister to make that sacrifice. And now it took all of her willpower to stay those words from crossing her lips. But even she had to admit that she didn't know how much of the angry reply that was building was a desire to avoid the impending hurt she knew would strike all too close to home.

_I don't want to feel anything for you, Lynn…so stop talking! Don't make me love you again…_Sakura drew her card, forcing her mind away from the confession she knew was coming and walling away the side of her that might dare to feel something.

"I tried to tell myself that's what he would have wanted…But that didn't change the reality of the situation. I needed to take care of you and to do that I needed a job. But…more than that, I felt…_invincible _as an ANBU. It was my only fall back at that point. After all, how many women work their way up that far?" Lynn knew she had been lying to herself, of course. No one was indestructible…

Her hazel gaze turned up to her sister as she forced herself to continue, "It was a mission gone awry…I…really thought I had Orochimaru." Her eyes glazed with the memory of how he had used her confidence against her, how he toyed with her after killing her comrades in cold blood…She had attacked without thinking, without stopping to consider that she had been an internal spy for months at that point-of course he would have known her strengths and weaknesses. But in her rage, she hadn't stopped…

"I don't think I have to tell you what happened." Lynn sighed, tossing her hair to deliberately reveal the ebony stain that lined the curve of her neck. "After he marked me, he told me that if I didn't join him, that you would be his next target. There was no way in _hell _I was going to let him lay a hand on you, Sakura! I wanted…I wanted you to live a life as innocent as possible, while you still could. I didn't want Orochimaru to take that from you, too."

The pink-haired medic's fist balled at her side at the mention of _his _name. He was the one constant behind all the pain and suffering that had followed Cell Seven even before it formed and even after it dissolved.

But even that didn't stop the instinctive rage that rose up next; protection? Maybe she had needed it once, but not in that moment. And, she told herself, never again. She resented the image that clung so tenaciously to her despite her training beneath the Godaime, despite the work and the missions and all the times she _had_ proven herself.

"Sakura," Lynn drew her attention again, "When I did come home, for as long as I could…they did what they could for me…they…let me disappear. Into Domino. And, for a while, it did throw me for a loop. But…it was a good loop, Saki." Her topaz eyes drifted to her lover as her crimson lips pulled up. And just as quickly, that expression fell again as she sighed, "Everything I did, Sakura, I did for you!"

"That's just the problem, Lynn…" Sakura finally replied, her voice cracking, "You never let me make my own mistakes." She couldn't bring herself to hate or resent her sister's decision. But that didn't change the fact that a line needed to be drawn in the sand. And, because it was her life, she was the only one that could ink that boundary for them. "I love you, Lynn…but one confession doesn't make this all go away…it takes time."

Lynn smiled genuinely, if not somewhat sadly, as she replied, "And you've turned into exactly what I would have hoped…I couldn't be more proud of you, Sakura. But…"

The duel had been building for sometime as if it mirrored their thoughts and the words that spilled from their lips. And now it was all drawing to a close and there was only one thing left to do…

"It's time to finish this duel." The red-head smirked, activating her card.

She turned her eyes, suddenly steely, to Yami and asked, "Do you recognize her? You should…after all, you gave her to me."

The ancient spirit didn't reply as the shower of light died away to reveal the Dark Magician Girl; but it certainly wasn't the one he knew. This one was darker, more suited to the red-head's taste and, if appearances were any indication, more appropriate for her deck…

In that same moment, Lynn pulled her final set of stops: a trap activated, setting off Sakura's face-down spell. That triggered a monster's effect, which boosted the Dark Magician Girl's attack points and stimulated Sakura's second face down.

In a fraction of a second, the stage erupted into a blinding conflagration of light and movement. The subsequent blast pushed away all sound and forced a cloud of holographic dust high into the air above them.

"Sakura!" Joey cried even as Mokuba screamed the name of the woman he secretly called 'mom.'

The veil began to settle, revealing two figures driven to their knees. But…no victory…in a moment of almost impossible circumstance, the duel had ended in a tie…

_A…tie…nothing…nothing changed at all…_Sakura's thought accompanied a void of sheer emptiness as she tried to force herself to her feet.

At that point…there was no where left to go and nothing to hide behind…Because the end of their duel had led to one impossible, inevitable conclusion…

They would duel their lovers…

Lynn came to that same realization just as her sister stepped off the platform. Her eyes widened as she met Kaiba's gaze and for a moment they pinned each other with their eyes. But all too soon…and not soon enough, he announced that they were done for the day. They would rest for the night and continue in the morning.

Kaiba was a cold man, made more of ice than flesh and blood. But even he needed a night to reconcile with his lover…to make things right before they could go wrong. He pulled Lynn close against his body as he walked away. And, in true fashion, he didn't spare even a glance backwards as Yami enveloped Sakura.

* * *

Lynn slipped into a red nightgown, lying down beside her lover. He sat on the edge of the bed in deep thought, his gaze trained on the wall.

"Seto," She whispered softly as she laid her hands on his shoulders and rested her head against his back, "I'm…I can't say that I'm comfortable dueling you tomorrow…Because I'm not. I know we've dueled before but never like this…I'd sooner drop from this competition than hurt you!"

"Like you said, we've dueled before," He replied, "Tomorrow shouldn't make a difference."

"But it does!" She cried, gripping his jacket tightly. Her eyes, softened at first by the hurtful implication in his statement, steeled at once, "All of those were nothing compared to this! Those other times weren't a trap!"

He turned his head over his shoulder, smirking softly, "Are you going to start this dark magic nonsense again?"

Lynn inhaled sharply, blinking several times as she considered his words, before replying somewhat dryly, "God, Seto. Fine! If it doesn't bug you, then I'm not going to be bugged when I kick your ass!"

She turned over, closing her eyes and pretending to sleep. It was the easiest way to lock away her feelings…she needed to deal privately for a few minutes.

And Kaiba knew she was feigning her sudden drift into the world of dreams. And he understood why: He didn't want to hurt her, either…the enemy was watching, as much as he hated to admit there had ever been one, and whoever they were would undoubtedly think that their moment to gain the upper hand….

_How wrong they'll be._ Kaiba thought to himself as he pulled his lover against his chest and closed his eyes. And suddenly he found himself remembering an odd conversation…

_Lynn tossed her head, laughing, "I haven't been defended in the entirety of my life, Seto Kaiba. I can protect myself. I've done it before, and I'll do it again." _

_ He smirked in response, "Then it's about time someone did; whether you want them to or not." _

_ The red-head just shrugged somewhat dismissively. But he knew that there would be no denying the reality of his statement the next time someone, or something, decided to rise against her. After all, he had no intention of being anywhere but right by her side. _

* * *

Sakura waited until they were closed behind a door of steel away from the world to finally tell Yami what she knew had to be said.

"I can't back down, Yami…I'm going to duel you tomorrow."

Only she could truly understand how much she didn't want to. But hardship had been the only thing that had ever affirmed her place, who she was as a person…the fact that she wasn't done growing into who she would be, yet. Backing away, even from him, was undoing everything she had put into getting there at all.

The kunoichi reclined against him, resting her head on his chest as she told him, "I never asked her to make that choice, Yami…"

"I know." He replied.

Silence hung between them for a long, heavy moment before she said, "Yami…do you think this is the end? When that first duelist was talking, he said we would find "what" not 'who' we wanted. This isn't about Shadi…it never was…Does that mean this is it?"

"I wish I knew the answer, Sakura." He replied, "We'll just have to wait and see what life, what the future, holds for us." His hand tightened suddenly around hers, "But what it is, I'm sure we can overcome it together."

In that moment, though, he realized what he was searching for; the answer was so obvious that it was almost embarrassing that it had taken so long to dawn on him. He wanted a past that connected him to something bigger than just himself. And, though he felt more complete with Sakura than he ever had, he wasn't sure that feeling was real because he didn't have anything to compare it with…He wanted to fill the gap in his mind that seemed to drive a wedge between his physical world.

"Yami…just…talk to me for a few minutes." Sakura whispered as she turned over in his arms and buried herself against his warm chest.

His ruby gaze drifted down as he told her how surprised he was by her confession. He couldn't wholly suppress his chuckle as he added that he hadn't been sure how to broach the very same subject with her.

Eventually, realizing that she was slowly drifting to sleep, Yami pulled the blanket at the foot of the bed over their twined bodies. He leaned in against her, kissing her forehead and whispering that he loved her.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter Seventeen: Hidden Truth Part One**_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh. But Lynn does belong to one of us! **_

The morning came for Domino in much the same way it always did; the dark horizon gave way to a hazy pink glow. Birds began to sing with the coming dawn and the nocturnal world pulled away behind its own veil to let daylight take its place.

It was a world far removed from the sphere of chaos that had developed high above them on the rooftop of the Kaiba Corporations building…

Sakura took her place by her lover; they had pulled apart late that night to give each other the space and time they needed to prepare. And she knew that based on the lone silhouette burned against the barely-bluing sky in front of them that Lynn had done the same.

The pink-haired medic knew how hard the night had been: She jumped at every little tick, shifting at the slightest noise. It had been sleepless, and time seemed to play tricks with her in the way it sped up when she was most content and slowed to a painful crawl when she was most ready to fight Yami. She didn't imagine her sister had had it much easier. After all…they shared a common bond beyond even their blood…

They were kunoichi.

Her eyes drifted to Kaiba, whose singular figure looked utterly alone. She watched his eyes blur as he lost his focus. His gaze dropped to the platform, as if he were trying to reason its design. But Sakura knew better; he had built it…And she knew he was imagining his duel with Lynn---likely in the same painful clarity she was projecting hers. It was such a hard illustration to imagine that Lynn's sudden chakra as she appeared was a physical relief.

The red-head clearly meant business; she was outfitted in garb more appropriate for battle than a duel: she wore a black tank top with a familiar silver emblem across the breast. Her thighs were wrapped in tight ebony cotton. Gleaming beneath the finished hem a pair of combat boots shone in the early morning light. But, most touching and disturbing, she was wearing a familiar flared purple coat---the same one Kaiba had donned in his quest against Pegasus several years earlier…

Sakura couldn't understand it…it seemed Lynn was intent on making her personal struggle as painful as possible. And at the same time, the pink-haired female was carefully walling her heart behind a fortress of sheer determination. So maybe, she reasoned, she was simply past feeling anything for the moment.

Her hand dropped to Yami's as the duel in front of her proceeded…

Lynn's hazel gaze turned up as she let her disk unfurl. She needed to cast aside her thoughts and, being so acutely aware of that, she had no choice but to push aside feeling as well.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Let's get this show on the road!" She snapped.

_There's the Lynn I know…_Kaiba thought to himself even as he smirked, "I was just starting to think you weren't going to show."

"Me? Running from you? Don't make me laugh, Kaiba," Lynn replied, "This is just one more chance to kick your sorry ass!"

"Good luck trying." Kaiba responded snidely as he drew his first set of cards.

The red-head narrowed her eyes dangerously as she slammed down her first card. If the fight hadn't been on before, it most certainly was now…or…at least it seemed that way…

It was clear to everyone watching, though maybe it wasn't even to the dueling couple, that it was all an act; it was forced at best, and the sheer effort they put into trying to cover up even that artificial façade was almost frightening. It was obvious they didn't want to fight…but it was equally evident that they _needed _to let their duel take its course…

Sakura couldn't help but wonder if that was the end result waiting for her and Yami…a desperate, twisting desire to prove something without losing anything in the process. It was a disturbing paradox they had been forced into: The person they loved most was the one they needed to hurt…

The sudden spike in Lynn's chakra forced her younger sister's gaze back up; the former ANBU captain glared at her lover viciously as she activated her trap. Her lips pulled up in a smirk that bordered on sadistic as she announced exactly what she intended to do to him.

But it was far too soon to get cocky and, even as she told herself that, Kaiba proved it. In the same movement, he activated his Spell. Her entire combination fell apart, leaving her remaining monster cards vulnerable. And even though his current ranks would have been enough to substantially dent her Life Points, he didn't attack…

He sacrificed his Paladin and his Penten the Dark Clown to summon…

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Kaiba yelled as the massive white form drew itself upward.

Lynn stepped back involuntarily, her eyes widening as they fell on the imposing creature before her. She dropped her gaze to her hand, her mind racing as she tried to form a plan. As incredibly strong as his signature card was, she knew that dancing around it wouldn't win her the duel; she needed to attack head on…

Realization was like a slap in the face; as she stared down his dragon, she realized she couldn't afford to take it easy on him or allow him an easy win. She wasn't like that...No, she _refused_ to be beaten this soon and so easily. She had barely put up a fight and her life points were the proof of this.

She thought back to a time so long passed that it seemed almost impossible that it had ever happened in her life time…But the dark stain of Orochimaru's curse on her neck was proof that it had…and that meant her promise, her vow to be a stronger kunoichi and more importantly a stronger woman, was just as real. What exactly, she wondered, had she already said about herself and about him in letting him get such an edge on her?

"Would you hurry up and duel!" Kaiba snapped suddenly, his icy blue eyes meeting hers, "Don't tell me you're really this weak!"

Lynn opened her mouth to reply but nothing came out…

He chuckled caustically, "Maybe you should give your title to someone else. Your sister perhaps."

"I'm not beaten, yet!" She cried, "I'm a kunoichi! I don't know the meaning of the word defeat!"

The red-head bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood as she pulled her trump card. A dark spattering of glitter flooded the holographic field as the Black Dark Magician Girl appeared. But she knew that it was a risky gamble…

Even with the few spell cards she had to power up her monster, she knew she was walking a tight line: Kaiba's deck was full of trap cards and, if he had a good draw, he could easily reduce her creature's attack points…

_I'm already in a bind, _she thought to herself, _No point in holding back anymore…_

She activated her arrangement, managing an indirect attack on his Life Points with a series of trap cards. The cost, however, was devastating: She failed to rid the field of his Blue-Eyes and, during his turn, he managed to pull together a brilliant combination.

He used his Return from the Different Dimension along with a Monster Reborn card to set the stage for a tribute. Sacrificing his monsters along, he summoned the last two White Dragons in his deck and fused them using Polymerization.

Lynn had only one fall back: The fact that a monster couldn't attack on the same turn it was fused. But he took even that from her when he activated his Deck Destruction Virus; in one fell swoop, he eliminated the only cards that might have saved her. She could do no more than set up a defense that easily fell beneath his assault in the next turn.

At the end of it all, she stood alone before the awesome might of the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. For a moment, an eerie still hung between them…

Kaiba hesitated for a fraction of a second, just long enough for his gaze to meet Lynn's. She nodded, a silent affirmation that she knew there was only one outcome left now and that she was alright with it.

_Thank you, Seto…_She thought as she closed her eyes against the brilliant gathering light of his dragon's impending blast, _for waking me up…_

A massive debris cloud rose from the platform as she was swallowed by the white-hot light haloed in blue electricity. She was driven to her knees by the blast, her cards scattering in a half-moon around her fallen form.

As the holographic images faded away, the CEO rushed across the arena, gathering her into his arms. "Lynn?"

She pushed away from him, smirking playfully, "As if you could hurt me, Seto Kaiba. We both know who's stronger here."

But, relenting, she leaned against him, whispering, "Nothing's changed, has it, Seto?"

He captured her face between his hands in response, almost pulling her off her feet as he pressed his lips against her. Startled, the red-head could do nothing but submit to the sweet intrusion of his tongue until he finally parted for air.

"You've gotten stronger," He smirked, "But I'm still better."

Lynn snapped her head away in mock anger, elbowing him and promising, "You're going to pay for that later."

But what time there was for banter was quickly exhausted as the CEO's eyes fell to Yami. In almost the same second, his hazel-eyed lover's gaze drifted to her sister…

There was no need to announce the next duel…

Sakura nodded, more to herself than to any of the observers. She replaced her sister on the platform just as Yami took his place across from her; she inhaled once, deeply, willing herself not to let her emotional defenses crumble beneath the conscious knowledge that this duel was going to be far from easy.

It had been painful to watch Lynn's duel…she had known the brunette would hold nothing back but she hadn't known exactly what that entailed: Kaiba had been absolutely brutal in the way he had shot down her defenses, both in his words and his strategy. He had stalked around her like a panther going in for the kill and there had been nothing Lynn could do to stay his assault…

She shifted on the stage, letting her hair fall in a pink curtain around her face. She knew that making contact with her lover, or with any of her numerous friends gathered around her, would break her resolve.

And she knew it was silly to get worked up over a game…but in the moment it felt like so much more…time and space were stretching between them and towards them and shoving them together at the same time it was trying to pull them back…

Deep in the corridors of her own soul, Sakura thought she heard the distant rumble of thunder as her vision suddenly swam and dissolved. She stopped in her figurative tracks, realizing the world around her was shifting again into a vision of something ancient…only now she recognized that it was also inextricably linked to her, too…

This wasn't about a duel, a game, or even their own time stream, she thought with sudden clarity despite the irrationality of it all. And she was so sure of that much that even her shinobi instinct, screaming at her that she had no proof and no reason to back her racing thoughts, had been forced away from her conscious mind.

And suddenly she was more sure than ever that she _needed _to fight him. This would be the act of revealing a facet of herself that he couldn't see. He needed to _experience_ it. And this would be his chance to prove that he really was the man to capture her heart…

She had watched Lynn in pained silence. But now that she was in her place, she wouldn't help but feel excited. She could give her all with him, with none of the dangers she knew so well in her world and none of the shady pitfalls that lined his. But even as she was swallowing her doubts, his own were surfacing.

_Yami, something about this doesn't feel right,_ Yugi interjected suddenly from the back of his mind, not entirely sure if his apprehension was his own or spill over from his darker half, _I don't want to hurt Sakura. _

_ Neither do, I, Aibou,_ Yami replied even as a look of sheer determination steeled his features, _But right now we don't have a choice. And besides, think how much more we would hurt her if we went easy on her. She's prepared for anything, Yugi, and we have to give this our all. Nothing will change between us. That much I'm certain of. _

Yugi nodded invisibly, retreating back into the murky half-space he and his dark shared.

For a moment, Yami had to doubt his own words; he didn't want to hurt the one he loved. But…in the same second his eyes dropped to Joey.

How many times had they been forced against each other? And yet their friendship was just as strong, if not more so, than it had been before each of those clashes. He just needed to look at this as a chance to further his relationship, he told himself as he let his disk unfurl.

He drew his first five cards, plotting his immediate strategy as he tried to map his movements into the future. Her first line of defense was good, he thought to himself, but her secondary line left room for him to move in…

And even with his racing thoughts, he suddenly realized that he was excited; this was the Sakura he wanted to see: He wanted to see that sparkle of determination fanned into a raging flame. He wanted to see her perfected battle skills. He wanted her to duel him with everything she had just as much as she had wanted him to do the same to her.

"You're wasting no time, I see." He remarked with a smirk as she set two face-downs into place.

She winked at him, "I did learn from the best."

He chuckled despite the tension already growing between them. And, as the intensity of their private battle grew, he allowed conversation to fall away. Naturally, it was replaced with brilliant forethought.

He wasn't sure how long they clashed; he knew that several times he pushed her into a corner only to have her shove him right back. But somewhere into the last quarter of his deck, he realized there was only one conclusion left…

A shiver raced up his spine as a he drew a card. He didn't even have to look to realize he had the duel won…

He quickly pushed through her first line of defense, crippling her ability to fight with his Swords of Revealing Light. With her offense stopped dead in its tracks, he needed only to take one turn to clear her resistance. He then activated his Change of Heart to take control of her Valkyria, which was promptly sacrificed along with his Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl to summon Slifer the Sky-Dragon.

The sky above them opened with the deafening crack of thunder. The massive crimson dragon seemed to cleave the world itself with its sudden, immense presence. Sakura stepped back, her jaw dropping as the raw, ancient power that emanated from its massive frame washed across her.

Yami averted his eyes, knowing that the recognition of her fear would stay his hand…and he had sworn to her that he would give their duel his absolute all…

"Finish her, Slifer!" He cried.

The giant maw of the dragon snapped open, revealing rows of jagged teeth that were bleached from her vision as its attack slammed against her. The kunoichi cried out in alarm as she was driven to her knees, the wind around her pulling almost viciously at her clothing.

She hadn't even fully ridden out the attack when she suddenly found herself in his arms. He wrapped himself around her, shielding her from the currents that still kicked violently around them. And even before they had died back entirely, he was asking if she was alright.

"Of course." She replied, cupping his cheek with her palm.

She released a breath she wasn't aware she had been holding: Things really hadn't changed…he was still the King of Games and she was still a kunoichi…and he still loved her as much as she loved him…

_The more things change, _she thought to herself as she rose from the ground, _the more they stay the same…_

That wasn't entirely true…if anything, she loved him even more _because_ he had refused to take it easy on her. He had respected her enough to honor her wishes even though it had been hard for him. And, in doing so, he had proven that he was every bit the man she had thought he was.

"Thank you, Yami." She smiled, leaning in and letting her lips capture his.

"Enough." Kaiba's voice sliced the air like a cold dagger, "I've waited long enough to reclaim my title, Yugi. Let's go."

Sakura rolled her eyes as she pulled away, squeezing her lover's hand once and added, "Kick his ass, _please_. I've had enough of that _smug smirk _to last me a lifetime."

Yami chuckled at her comment, sparing one glare over his shoulder at his long time rival, "Don't worry, Sakura. Beating him is _exactly _what I intend to do."

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter Eighteen: The One Worded Answer**_

_**Disclaimer: WE OWN NOTHING! Except Lynn! ^^**_

Yami took his place opposite of Kaiba.

And, naturally, Kaiba had already launched into his tirade about his magnificent strategy for defeating him, how he planned to once and for all regain his title, how he _refused _to allow the embarrassment of losing to him plague him any further…

Lynn rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her ample chest. She loved him, but he was hot-headed and he had a serious problem accepting the fact that some things simply couldn't be changed. But it wasn't even that so much as the motives that drove them…

Yami dueled because he had no choice. People were counting on him, whether the general population knew it or not. Hell, even for just the short months the red-head had lived with him, he had managed to avert world crisis at least twice. But Kaiba…he dueled for his own selfish motivations, like his pride.

Her hazel gaze flickered to her sister, whose eyes were set on Yami; really, her older sister hadn't expected any less. Even having just felt the full brunt of the power the former pharaoh wielded at his fingertips, she knew Sakura was nervous about the potential outcome. But, in Lynn's mind, there was no doubt: Kaiba would lose, Yami would win, the world would keep turning it whether the CEO liked it or not.

And, sure enough, it didn't take long for the ancient spirit to turn a trick or two with his cards, let Kaiba's own pride blindside him, and use it against him; Kaiba had good combinations and he was effective with his trap cards. But the problem was that Yami knew the brunette's style too well; no matter how many times he changed up his deck, he always came back to cards that mirrored his own personality. And, knowing that persona so well, the former pharaoh could often identify them and work around them.

First, he allowed his Dark Magician to be killed by one of Kaiba's many dragons. In doing so, though, the CEO triggered a trap card that wiped away all of _his _spell and trap cards. That left him with no defense against Yami's next set of movement that allowed for an impressive string of direct damage spell cards to take their toll on Kaiba's Life Points.

In his anger, Kaiba retaliated in a way that wound up costing him his Blue-Eyes White Dragon when Yami managed to turn his Deck Destruction Virus against him. Having to discard so many cards was a contingency he hadn't planned for, and each turn whittled his deck down.

At one point, he managed to summon two of the three Blue-Eyes he had in his deck, but without the third and with his Monster Reborn card having already been sent to the Graveyard, he didn't have the might he needed to stop the devastating combination of Spellcasters Yami had pulled together.

He had sacrificed his Dark Magician, Dark Magician Arcana, and Dark Magician Girl intentionally to power up his Sorcerer of Dark Magic in a move surprisingly similar to the one he had used against Kaiba nine months earlier. Of course, this time, Anubis wasn't around to crash the party and Kaiba had no "interloper" excuse to wiggle his way out of defeat.

Using a card combination that allowed him to resurrect the fallen Magicians, he gave all of them up as a tribute to summon the three God-Cards. Then he fused them into a creature with infinite attack strength.

It was over for Kaiba in a matter of minutes. The CEO growled once at the victorious man before channeling his rage into the deck. The floor reverberating slightly with the impact of his fist, but that was the only sign of his frustration. His face very quickly returned to its usual, unreadable mask as he grudgingly announced the victor and told them all to get lost.

"Gladly." Sakura replied as her lover's arms came around her. But in the same moment, she felt the shadows behind her begin to coalesce.

"Oh, great…" Lynn suddenly snapped, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she fell instinctively into a defensive stance. "Just what we didn't need…"

Sakura spun on her heel, using her body to shield Yami as she turned her gaze to the shadows…Something…no…some_one_ was walking from them…

"Shadi." The pink-haired kunoichi hissed. After the string of prolonged and difficult duels they had endured, she knew that no one standing on the platform had what it took to face him.

"Stop right there, Shadi!"

The group collectively turned to the new voice—a white blur speeding across the platform as another, small one of similar color rushed from the opposite side…the Ishtar siblings.

"You have defeated the enemy." Shadi began, seemingly oblivious to the threat of two Millennium Item wielders flanking him.

"Don't screw with them!" Marik snapped.

"Lest you provoke us to attack." Ishizu agreed, lifting her arm to allow her duel disk to unfurl.

"I've no desire to harm them. They have passed their test."

"You mean to tell us this is a game to you?" Lynn spat, her hands curling, "You had better give us an explanation before I rip one out of you!"

"Test?" Sakura snapped, her hands balling at her side, "What the hell do you think you are?"

He turned his sharp gaze to her and replied, "The important question is not who I am. It is who are you? Or, more, who were you?"

The kunoichi took an involuntary step backwards even as she replied severely, "What are you talking about?"

Yami had the presence of mind in that moment to capture his lover by her shoulders as she strode back. He had no guarantee that her anger wouldn't provoke her to attack. And, as infuriating as the man could be, Yami had no desire to see his death.

"I believe I promised you would find the answers you were looking for." He continued, apparently ignoring her demand. "And you will find those answers in Egypt."

"What do you mean, Shadi?" Yami asked.

The man gave no reply as he reached into his tunic; something glinted gold in the poor light that filtered through the thick clouds. Sakura flinched back as his hand drew away to reveal the Millennium Scales and Key. But far from using them, he relinquished them at his feet.

He turned away suddenly, disappearing into the shadows as he pushed through the barricade formed by the Ishtar siblings. Sakura, however, had no intention of letting him get away quite so easily.

"Hey!" She cried, pulling away from Yami and reaching for him.

But he had just disappeared…if it hadn't been for her shinobi instincts, she would have fallen right off of the ledge of the rooftop when she failed to contact. As it was, she arched her back and landed several feet back.

Yami breathed an immense sigh of relief…even if he was consciously aware of the fact she was a kunoichi, it didn't help his instant anxiety when he realized she had momentarily lost her balance. He kept his eyes on her as he knelt to gather the Millennium Items.

Lynn shot him a knowing glance as she laid her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Come on, Sakura, let's get going. We apparently have some planning to do."

_Egypt…_Lynn thought to herself as she turned away, _it seems like we don't have a choice but to go there now…_

"It's over." The red-head sighed finally, more to herself in relief that the tournament was over than to anyone else.

"Thank Kami." Sakura replied.

She had no immediate regrets about the whole fiasco; it had brought her closer to the man she loved. But it still left them with more questions than answers…That in and of itself was hard to accept. It seemed that they had fought so hard for what little they knew that anything else was, maddeningly, just beyond their reach.

At the same time, though, if they had made it that far and it hadn't killed them, she had no reason to believe they wouldn't make it even further. And with Kaiba and Lynn as their allies, instead of their enemies, it seemed the pieces that they needed were finally coming together. They stood a chance…they stood _more_ than a chance. How could they not keep racing towards the end? And how could they not stop when they already had part of the enigma solved?

Feeling better about what the next day might bring, Sakura turned to her lover and kissed him quickly before telling him, only half-jokingly, that she had had more than enough of being a duelist for the time being. She was definitely ready to get back to her shinobi roots.

Slightly confused already, he was only made more so when she added she would meet him back at the shop. But he trusted her and replied simply he would see her there.

* * *

Sakura stepped into the shop, turning the sign on the door to 'Closed.' Walking through the hall, she suddenly remembered that they hadn't eaten a real meal in almost a week between the practice dueling and the actual tournament. After all, at the time, they had had bigger worries than their nutritional needs.

She glanced at the clock, deciding she had time to prepare an actual meal. And they already had everything she needed in the fridge, so she went through with it. In about twenty minutes, she had the table set, the food ready, and the dishes done.

She leaned back on the counter, watching a set of dark clouds roll in. It was then that she realized she also hadn't had a chance to change in two days.

The pink-haired female shrugged as she walked up the stairs. She had said she's had enough of being a duelist and she meant it; but she also wasn't entirely sure for the night that she wanted to a kunoichi either…Maybe she wanted to be a woman.

She picked out a lacy white dress that fell to her knees. It was casual enough for the dinner she had planned, but snug enough that she could feel like a female, instead of a living weapon or shield, for once. She replaced her headband with a crimson scarf decorated with silver and pink cherry blossoms and was just slipping into a pair of red heels when she heard the door downstairs open.

Yami's call of "I'm back!" reached her ears. She smiled to herself as she walked back down the stairs to greet him.

"You're home!" She said flirtatiously as she leaned in to hug him.

He stopped dead in his tracks, stunned by her sudden change of attire. Beautiful was the only word that came to his mind as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

"You look great. This certainly is a nice surprise."

"I hope it gets better. Why don't you go sit down for a second? I'll finish up dinner." She winked, playfully shooing him.

"Alright." He smiled, walking down the hall as she turned into the kitchen.

He sat down on the couch, turning on the TV out of curiosity; he wondered what the official statement out of Kaiba Corporation on the duel would be. But that wasn't what was on…

The museum was releasing a breaking news piece on an artifact that was being delivered to them. Immediately, he wondered why: they didn't have a large exhibit on anything, let alone ancient Egypt. But his question was quickly answered when the reporter on the story added that it seemed to be a complement to one they already had.

The screen flashed with a stone tablet he was familiar with; the one depicting himself and someone who looked suspiciously like Seto Kaiba. An instant later the screen flickered to reveal a similar tablet that showed two women…

Sakura stepped into the living room, gasping when her eyes fell on the figures carved there; the smaller of the women shown looked disturbingly like herself. And the woman beside her was unmistakably Lynn…

"I…remember this…Elemental Summoning…Defend him, Isis…I'm begging you…" Sakura stammered.

_I k__now __this…_The kunoich thought to herself as her lips began to move.

It was an ancient spell, older than written language, though she had no way to know. Like a song, words combined into sentences that were strung together in stanzas…

"You remember what?" Yami asked, glancing up only to realize she was uttering ancient Egyptian…

He reached up, concerned. What on earth had suddenly come over her? But as he did, the room suddenly dissolved.

His eyes darted down in alarm, coming to rest on a puddle of water he knew wasn't there. And his reflection showed a man with much darker skin, wearing a gold diadem and wounded…but the look in his eyes wasn't foreign…he knew his face when he saw it…

And just as suddenly the image broke. He bolted up from the chair, his breath coming in ragged pants. Sakura spun on her heel, snapped from her own break with reality by his movement.

"Yami!" She cried, cupping his cheek with her right hand as she looped her arm around his waist to center his balance.

But her alarm only skyrocketed into something all too close to panic when, for a moment, she swore she could feel his blood running down her arm. His face shimmered for a moment, turning bloody with lacerations that simply seemed to appear from thin air. Her mind screamed at her to _move, _that he was badly wounded.

And in that same moment, his hands come down on her shoulders, breaking the illusion as he assured her was fine. She jerked away, startled by the change in sensory perception and reeling from her own helplessness in the microsecond before; he had been there, bleeding, hurt, and she hadn't been able to do anything…She shook her head, forcing the disturbing image away from her mind as she suppressed her emotions as he spoke.

"I believe you are not the only one who is having memories, Sakura." He said, directing his attention back to the tablets on TV, remembering the images that he saw. "There is something we're not seeing here, something we don't understand. Shadi may have had a point when he confronted us earlier."

She listened to his words, an icy chill running up her spine at the mention of Shadi. What if they had been manipulated the whole time? And, if so, to what end?

"Pegasus…What about him?" She finally asked as she forced her breathing to level, "If we've been played this whole time…how do we know what's going on?"

She turned to watch him open his mouth, but no words came out…he didn't have the answer. Intuition told him Pegasus was involved _somehow_, but he didn't know the extent or exact circumstance of that involvement. The only possible explanation, as far-fetched and reaching as it sounded, was that Pegasus had manipulated Kaiba into hosting the tournament to allow Shadi time and opportunity to collect information on them...

The kunoichi bobbed her head in silent comfort; he didn't need to have them. Not yet. And with that thought, she picked up the remote and turned off the TV. The world would be alright for one more night.

"You should eat, Yami. It's been almost twenty-four hours since you've had a meal."

She reached out, taking his hand and pulling him into the kitchen. She pushed him gently into a chair, smiling at him. "You know, I think I've had enough of ancient Egypt, dueling, my sister, your rival and everything but you for the night."

"I agree completely." He replied with a chuckle. "To be honest, time with you is the only thing I've been looking forward to since this tournament began."

She laughed as she dished up a piece of chicken, a side of vegetables and a small mound of rice for him. And as she pushed the plate in front of him, she pulled a chair up beside him. For a moment, she rested her head on his shoulder, inhaling his sensuous musk. But in the next second, she was very gently elbowing him with a wink and telling him to eat.

"If you keel over, we have every reason to believe the world might just follow suit." She smirked.

She stayed seated beside him, eating what she could of her dinner. Her appetite was quite gone as her mind raced around with the number of possibilities they were facing; it seemed the more they got, the less they understood…

She shook her head as she stood up, clearing the dishes and getting him a piece of cheesecake. And, in that moment, she had to wonder something else: When did she start down the line of domestic kitten…But she also realized, just as quickly, that in doing something for the man she loved, she had taken nothing away from the fact she was still quite deadly.

And it was, in a morbid, shinobi-esque short of way, comforting that she could still kill just about anyone who decided to mess with her. Of course, her self-control was better than that, and someone would have to attack her first before she even considered using force at all.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door. And, with the shop closed, she had to assume it was one of their friends. Shrugging with a small smile, she told Yami she would get it.

She stepped down the hall and walked through the shop, opening the door. A blast of cold air flooded the hall as a jagged whip of lightning noiselessly cut the sky. For a moment, the figure was so intensely backlit that she couldn't see who they were. But as it died to nothingness, she realized, with an icy chill, who it was…

"Bakura…" She said.

TBC


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter Nineteen: Hard Choices and Broken Hearts**_

_**Disclaimer: As usual, one of us owns Haruno Lynn but not Yu-gi-oh or Naruto!**_

_**Note: All Sasuke references have been removed. We have a good reason, I promise. ^^**_

Lynn, as tired as she was, couldn't help but think about her duel with Sakura. She knew it was going to be intense but she never could have imagined what it would really be. With a sigh, she remembered how concentrated Sakura was throughout the entire duel.

Lynn couldn't even remember the last time she had seen Sakura so focused on something. Then again, the redhead had missed out on most of the pinkette's life. But, she smiled to herself,it was the most exciting duel she had even been in and she couldn't have felt not only proud but also happy for her younger sister. She had come so far in such a short time.

And besides, Lynn would have been lying if she had said she hadn't had fun. It was better to duel against her sister than physically fight against the only family member she had left in her life. She could still feel the guilt sit on her heart from their first fight when Sakura first showed up in Domino…

The red-head shook herself back to reality, turning on the TV to give her something else to focus on. She definitely hadn't been prepared for the recap of the night, though…

"What the _hell_?" She wondered aloud as the image of the tablet flashed across the screen.

She stood up, drifting over to the TV; her fingers traced the flickering images as if she could make them any less real with her touch…

"Lynn?" Kaiba spoke, wondering what had suddenly gotten into his girlfriend.

She didn't reply. By then she was far too focused on the image that looked eerily like herself and her sister. And there was a cold, odd feeling on her back, as if someone had opened a window in their bedroom…but it had an energy all its own…fertile, lush…

_Why do…I know this? _She wondered as the room around her began to fade, _Why do I keep picturing Egypt in my head…?_

Her lips began to move, chanting a spell older than the language it had been used in; fire, water, earth, air…a perfect circle of elemental protection…

"Guard him, Isis…" She whispered, unsure of why she had said it at all.

Concerned, Kaiba stood up and crossed the room. It wasn't like his girlfriend to stop mid-step, or to start mumbling to herself. He intended merely to shake her from her thoughts, but the moment his hand came down on her shoulder the room around him dissolved.

His eyes came to rest on a woman that looked startling like Lynn, wearing a shortened linen tunic and several arm bands he recognized as being Egyptian in nature. And in the same fraction of a second she disappeared to reveal…

Yugi…

No…it wasn't Yugi…not exactly…and the man standing next to him wasn't Seto Kaiba…

_This is what I saw before. _The CEO thought, _Even though Ishizu didn't perform a reading on me. _

The odd spell was suddenly broken and they spun to face each other, cerulean orbs meeting a hazel gaze.

"What's going on?" He asked, losing none of his cool despite his labored breathing.

"I…don't know…" She admitted after a long moment.

* * *

Sakura took a step back; she had no way of knowing _which_ Bakura this was. According to what Yami had told her, he had the ability to perfectly mimic Ryo's speech patterns, energy signature, and mannerisms. She had no way of knowing the real one from the parasitic entity that resided in the Millennium Ring.

"I thought I had a bad feeling." Yami commented from behind her, meeting the thief's gaze evenly.

"Good evening, Pharaoh." Bakura chuckled, "My, my, I never thought you would find time to settle down. And with my rival's sister, nonetheless."

His eyes flickered to Sakura, "How are you doing, Pinky?"

"_Stay away from her._" Yami snapped, his eyes dangerous and his tone lethal. "You claim you have business here. What is it?"

"I just heard about your run-in with Shadi and decided to deliver a present of my own." The white-haired male replied as he dug into his trench coat and retrieved the Millennium Ring.

Yami tensed at the sight of the contaminated item, his eyes hard as he stepped between his lover and the man.

Bakura smirked, his amusement clear, "I wanted to offer you my Millennium Ring. I have no more use for it. I've already become so close to my host that there's no getting rid of me. Because of that, it's worthless to me. And I have no need for trinkets."

The Nameless Pharaoh hesitated; this was all too easy for Bakura…He'd never done anything for anyone else without standing to gain something himself…

Seeing the doubt in his eyes, Bakura pressed him, "You want to recover your memories, yes? Well, you'll need this to gain said memories." He pushed it at him, giving him no real choice but to accept it.

Sakura moved to step in, knowing something odd was at work. But the moment she did she was suddenly and violently assailed by the sensation of Bakura's hands _on_ her. She jerked away from him, crossing her arms protectively over her chest and hissing, "Don't you dare come any closer."

Bakura chuckled darkly, "I have no intention of coming any closer to the likes of you two."

Determined not to lose sight of the issue, Yami remarked dryly, "I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything," The Thief King snapped, "And don't tell anyone."

He flashed them an eerie grin before turning and walking away like nothing had ever happened. And Sakura wasted no time slamming the door behind him and locking it. She didn't know it, but a thin veneer of sweat hung across her like a veil.

Resting her back against door, she took a few deep breathes to calm herself before asking, "Is it just me or does he get freakier every time we see him?"

She righted herself, trying to smile as she said, "I guess we should make arrangements to get to Egypt…"

_Is everything really going to come down to Egypt…_Yami wondered, pushing the Ring onto a nearby table.

_I don't think we have a choice in the matter, Yami. _Yugi commented from the back of his mind.

_I only wish we did, Aibou. _The ancient spirit replied.

Sakura suddenly stepped forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and whispering suddenly, "I'm afraid, Yami…It feels like we're on the edge of something…and I don't want to fall. I don't want to lose you."

The visions were getting more violent, harder to bear; worse, she was starting to _feel_ them…she felt her own wounds, the sensation of his blood running down her arms, the sickening jerk in the pit of her stomach as the screams of the injured rose around her…But it wasn't her own pain that scared her…she was scared of what she would see the next time she turned to him, of what she would feel…

She shuddered beneath the wrenching memory of his life leaking out against her chest and her arms and her own sudden inability to do anything…Her training suddenly slipped from her mind, her chakra refusing to form…

"In the hall…I thought you were going to die…there was so much blood…"

He felt her heartbeat suddenly pitch in her chest. He swallowed hard, trying to keep his own from racing as he replied, "I don't want to lose you, either, Sakura. I…don't know what I would do if something tore us apart." He bit down on his lip before adding, "I would take on all your battles if it meant keeping you safe."

_And that's why, _He thought to himself as his eyes softened, _I've decided I'm not taking you to Egypt with me. Forgive me, Sakura, but this is for the best. I want to keep you safe, and the only way to do that is to keep you in Domino. I don't doubt your strength, but this is a different battlefield than the one you're used to. And this is something I need to do alone…There are powers in Egypt beyond even my ability to control. And I'm not about to lose you to forces unknown._

* * *

_Egypt…_Kaiba's eyes darted up from his computer screen to his lover. _Because I _really _want to travel half way around the world for another lesson in Yugi's nonsense about magic and shadows. _

He sighed as he eyed the sleeping form of his red-headed girlfriend. She was stretched out on the receiving couch in his office. The TV report seemed to have taken a lot out of her...And it would have been easy to write her exhaustion off as stress if it hadn't been for one minor detail…

He had experienced the same visions…and Kaiba believed in what he could see and feel. And there was no denying the visions flashing before his eyes several hours earlier, or the sensations that accompanied them.

And if it had been just his burden to bear, he wouldn't have bothered at all with the flight arrangements he was making. However, with his lover caught up in it, he had no other choice…

Frustrated that his concentration was again shot, the CEO stood up from his desk and walked over to her. He had made sure Mokuba knew where they were, but glancing at her he couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't suffering from the same visions…

Sighing, he sat down and slid beneath her so that her head rested in his lap. She smiled receptively in her sleep, her fingers twining reflexively with his shirt. He smirked back softly at her, running his hand through her red hair.

He could feel just how tense she was, even in her sleep. She was still very much ready for a fight, whether it required her fists or the sheer strength of her mind…

_I don't care how mad you get, but you aren't going to Egypt with me. Even I don't want to go. But sometimes we have to make hard decisions. _

* * *

Despite his words, Sakura had an aching feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was happening that she couldn't see…And if that was so, she wanted one more night in his arms. But that wasn't the only thing she intended to do with him…she wasn't ready for sex, yet. And she knew that he wasn't, either. After all, the body he used wasn't entirely his, and she respected that boundary.

She wanted another night of laughter and lightness before they were plunged into the darkness. One more night when the world didn't matter because she was too locked in his embrace and the heat of his lips…

The kunoichi turned her head up, letting her lips capture his. Her tongue slid across his bottom lip, gently probing the sweet cavern. Her soft moan prompted him to return the gesture and he let his tongue run lightly across hers.

It was only when the need for air became too great to ignore that he pulled away. But that didn't weaken the protective cage his arms had formed around her lithe body. He leaned down slightly, resting his forehead against hers as he whispered, "I love you."

"And I love you." She replied.

For a long moment, she was content to just stay in his embrace. But a sudden, persistent patter against the window drew her attention. She turned his arms, a smile coming across her face when she realized it was the rain. She turned her gaze up, watching as his lips pulled up in the same motion.

_'Wow…it's been a while since we've had rain.' _Yugi's voice echoed in the Pharaoh's mind.

Yami nodded to his light as he drew Sakura even closer. And suddenly his vision shimmered for just a second. But unlike the violent images that had assailed him a moment before, the one dancing across his mind was much more assuring: he saw the people of Egypt dancing in the rain, celebrating the hope that it brought to them as it swelled the Nile.

Sakura's voice cut the vision a moment later, "Let's go for a walk."

"A walk…I'd like that." He replied. The decision he had made only cemented his resolve to spend what time he had left with her.

Sakura turned his arms, twining her fingers with his free hand and pulling him through the door. She ignored the umbrella by the door, letting the warm rain caress her skin. But despite the unseasonably warm atmosphere, the streets were deserted.

Yami didn't mind, though. In fact, he thanked whatever power had seen fit to cleave the sky and let that water fall. It gave him time to be with her without the crowding influence of the world pressing against them.

They walked hand in hand through the empty streets and into the center plaza. The stores were closed and dark and the only light that filtered into the square came from the massive T.V. screens that lined the streets.

They danced and pulsed with the sound of an American artist and they stopped to listen. The beat and lyrics hovered around them as the lights danced across the water-streaked shopping center.

"You know, I think I like this woman. I can definitely get behind putting your money where your mouth is." Sakura purred as she leaned in against him. Her arms circled his neck as she pressed her lips to his.

Her feline moan, like a female cat eager for affection, flooded his ears even as the heat of her lips began to affect his heartbeat. If he had anything to say, it was all washed away by the consuming need to explore her mouth.

And as passion overthrew thought, he moved her against a display window. His hands dropped to her hips, and he held her against the window front as he fought for dominance. He didn't care who saw them, because for him the world had ceased to encompass anyone but her.

* * *

Sakura stepped into the shop with Yami in tow well after eleven. But neither of them could have cared any less about the time.

"We should get some sleep." Sakura finally said, gently pulling him up the stairs.

As they reached the landing, she told him she was going to change. He nodded, slipping into the room he shared with Yugi to do much the same. He pulled his wet clothing off, laying it across the desk chair to dry out. His light, conveniently, kept his pajamas habitually laid out on the bed and he quickly slid into the sweatpants and baggy t-shirt folded there.

And as he changed he suddenly found his thoughts panning back to his paramour; a lot stopped mattering when he had her in his arms…when he captured her mouth with his…His fingertips rose to brush his lips at the thought, a blush painting his cheeks a color close to crimson.

"Yami?"

He turned to answer his lover's inquiry only to be stopped dead in his vocal tracks; she was wearing a gauzy sheath that plunged into a deep V at the neck and danced enticingly across the top of her thighs…

He suddenly felt himself growing harder; coughing to hide his sudden arousal, he pulled the blanket aside and motioned for her to get in. She smiled softly at him, her hand trailing across his cheek as she slipped beneath the sheets and the comforter.

He followed after her a moment later. Gathering her into his arms, he gently pulled her down onto the bed. His hands twined with her pink hair as he planted a kiss on her cheek before dropping his head to meet her lips.

"I love you, Yami. Good night, both of you." She whispered as her eyes fluttered closed.

"And I love you, my princess." He replied, unsure if she even heard him through the veil of sleep.

* * *

Yami watched her through the early morning glow; he smiled as he brushed a lock of pink hair away from her face and pressed a light kiss to her temple.

But that smile quickly faded when he realized how the night had slipped past him…

With a soft sigh, he gently slipped from the bed and into the bathroom. He didn't bother showering, knowing the noise would wake her. He just slipped into the spare outfit hanging on the door. On his way out, he grabbed the hastily packed duffel bag by the door.

He quietly descended the stairs and stepped into the kitchen. Naturally, he wasn't in the least bit surprised to see Ishizu sitting at the kitchen table. She offered him a small smile, but he just didn't have the heart to return it.

Guilt had long since started to seep into his heart; he knew that Sakura had every right to whatever they might find in Egypt like he did…but he still had the burning desire to protect her. He knew she would be angry, sad…but he hoped she had it in her to forgive him at the end of it all…

His thoughts were interrupted by her footfalls on the stairs; he spared a nod to the female Ishtar, who returned the gesture, as he slipped into the opposite hall.

He heard Sakura greet the Millennium Tauk holder with some confusion in her voice. And he heard Ishizu's apology of, "Forgive me, my queen."

But he couldn't see Sakura's sudden puzzlement at her response, or the way her eyes widened as the light of the Sennen Item plunged her into the darkness of her own dreams.

He moved behind her as her knees failed her, catching her in his arms. He picked her up and laid her down on the couch in the living room. For a long moment, he sat and watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest.

_'Forgive me…' _He thought as his lips ghosted hers. _'I hope you understand…'_

He stood up, eyes widening when he came face to face with Solomon. He averted his ruby gaze, pressing a note into the old man's hands and asking him to take care of her.

And then he was gone.

* * *

"I won't bother asking how you got in here." Kaiba remarked as he walked past Marik, Mokuba in tow. He seemed to simply know that the Millennium Rod wielder was there to help him with Lynn.

And that red-head in question had just started to wake up; she glanced over at the left side of the bed, unsurprised to find it empty and cold. She was used to waking up alone, but it never helped that he was so loving with her during the night…

She sighed as she sat up in bed, ignoring the deliberate bite marks ringing her throat and stiffness in her neck. Pushing the blanket aside, she noted, with some apprehension, that it was really quite quiet for a morning at Kaiba Corporations…She shrugged as she slipped into a red tank and black shorts, pulling one of Kaiba's old jackets on over the ensemble.

Deciding she was as ready as she was going to get, she opened the bedroom door to step out into the hall. To her annoyance, however, she found herself up close and personal with the youngest Ishtar.

"Um, excuse me," She said, her eyes twitching angrily, "But what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Forgive me, my queen." He replied.

"What the _hell…_" Her statement was cut short as she saw Kaiba slip behind her in her peripherals.

As she moved to turn and face him, the flat of the Millennium Rod contacted lightly with her forehead. She tried to reel and demand an answer, but by then her world was fading to a single pinpoint of golden light.

She didn't even feel Kaiba lift her from behind and place her in their shared bed. He pulled the comforter over her, pressing a kiss to her lips. And then he turned, suitcase in hand, and walked down the hall without so much as a backwards glance.

* * *

Consciousness returned with horrifying clarity: Lynn bolted straight up, sweat running down her temple and soaking the front of her shirt.

She released a shaky breath as she stood up, feeling around the dark and empty room with her chakra. But she could find nothing to indicate that anyone else was there or had been there in a very long time…

She ran into the hall, furiously throwing open doors until she realized, with a kind of sick feeling in her stomach, that she really was alone…

She sat down heavily in the chair in his office, her fists balling at her side as a lone tear ran down her face, "Seto, you idiot!"

Her gaze fell onto the city, dark and quiet, and she prayed that he would come home, back to her, in one piece…

* * *

"Sakura! Wake up, dear!"

The kunoichi groaned, aware of a warm pressure on her shoulders and a jarring motion that was rousing her. For a moment, she was confused; she wasn't even quite sure where she was…

And then it all hit her: She jerked up, grabbing Solomon's arm for support as she swung her legs around to the floor, "What time is it? Where are they? Ishizu was here!"

The old man gave her a rather sad smile as he held up a note and told her, "He didn't want to put you in danger. He asked me to watch over you."

Sakura blinked several times before the pain hit her like a blow to the stomach. She closed her eyes as silver tears began to stream down her face.

"There, there…" Solomon hummed, hugging her gently, "It's going to be okay."

But Sakura didn't hear him…the only words running desperately through her mind were a prayer: _'Please, Yami, be safe…Please, please…come back to me…'_

TBC


	20. Chapter 20

_**Chapter Twenty: Fade to the Blackness**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh or the song Airplanes by B.O.B featuring Haley Williams from which the title comes from! There is just over a nine hour difference in time zones. So if it's, say, noon in L.A, then it's nine P.M. in Egypt. **_

The memory of the night before only made his sudden absence that much more acute. She could still remember the rain lightly teasing them as it came down in silver sheets, the heat of his lips as she was forced against the glass panel, the way his tongue tangled so intimately with hers…the whispers late in the night as he talked to her…

She shook her head, tears running down her pale face as she hid her eyes behind her hand. She took several deep, shaky breathes as she tried not to lose all self-control. But feeling her façade rapidly breaking down beneath Solomon's gaze, she stood up and excused herself.

Walking into the kitchen, she grabbed the phone and tried to call Teá. But to her surprise, she wasn't home…and wouldn't be for a few days…She tried Joey and then Tristan…and all of them were gone…

Though their parents didn't outright say it, the kunoichi knew they were in Egypt…and the sudden, overwhelming sense of abandonment hit her like a physical blow. She sank into a nearby kitchen chair, tears running down her pale face as she looked out through the window.

It was such a bleak sight that she couldn't stand it; she stood up, walking out of the kitchen and past Solomon. She was half way up the stairs before she remembered he was there at all.

Turning her head over her shoulder, she told him, "I'm sorry, Solomon, I'm tired…I'm going to bed."

She didn't wait for a response before she climbed the stairs and slipped into the bedroom. She sank down against the door and sat there for some time, her head between her hands, before she found the strength to rise.

She crossed the room and laid down his bed; but before she realized her mistake, his scent had already washed over her…and she knew it was all over her clothes…and just the idea of showering was exhausting…She rolled over, burying her head against his pillow and letting her tears flow.

In that moment, she would have given anything for the warm comfort of Tsunade or Kakashi. She wanted someone to tell her she wasn't so alone in the world…But for all purposes, they were their own world away from her and even with her best hawk, it would be days before she heard from them…

Eventually, she rose from the bed and slipped through the window in Yugi's room. It was pouring cold, hard rain and she was instantly soaked through. But she just didn't have it in her to care anymore…

'_Who was it, _She wondered, '_that said rain is our friend?'_

After all, even the best shinobi couldn't tell tears from rain…

* * *

Lynn sat in his chair, alone in the office for the first time she could remember. Her head was buried deeply in the crook of her arm to hide the shimmering trails that ran down her face.

She _knew _where he had disappeared to, and though she wanted nothing more in the world than to be angry, she just didn't have the energy to be…It was true that she was angry, but that was taking a backseat to the throbbing ache in her chest.

Her hazel gaze wandered up to a photo of the three of them that sat on his desk; it wasn't anything special…just her and Mokuba and Kaiba. Hell, _he_ wasn't even smiling in it…

She remembered when she had first met him…she _couldn't stand _the arrogant jackass. He was egotistical, icy, and cruel even by her standards. And she remembered how _pissed _she had been that he had managed to defeat her so easily in their first duel against each other.

Still, even with those irate, disgusted memories flickering across her mind, she couldn't quite stop herself from reaching up and taking the frame into her hands. She loved the impromptu picture that sat next to his laptop. She suddenly felt her anger seep from her; she couldn't stay mad at him…even if he had left her without so much as a note…And she realized with abrupt clarity that she hadn't been mad at him to begin with…she was hurt…

With a sigh, she laid the frame face down on the desk and rose. She stared out into Domino, her hand trailing on the rain-streaked window. How that icy sensation against her fingertips brought back memories…

She could still hear the screams coming from the Uchiha complex…It had been so late when those screams drove her from her bed and into the night. She couldn't quite figure out what had the entire estate in such a state of uproar…

And then she saw the bodies lining the dirt paths, their lifeblood mixing with the earth to make a gory paste. Her hand had snapped automatically to her mouth, stifling her horrified gasp as the acrid, metallic scent of fresh blood swept over her.

Her frantic thoughts had called for an explanation: Who? Who would do such a thing? And then…she got her answer…

She remembered a screaming boy that she faintly recognized tearing past her. But by then, her eyes had fallen on her lover…and the bloody katana clutched in his hand…

Her hazel eyes met his crimson gaze and she realized he was crying; that told her everything she needed to know as he descended on her…his silhouette had bleached the moon black and the next thing she knew, the sun was coming up and she was amid the bodies and the blood and the screams as Konoha woke…

_'If I could, Itachi,' _She thought as she turned away, pressing her back to the cold glass panel, '_I would have given you rain to hide those tears…'_

She sighed as she turned her head up and wiped her eyes again; there were still employees in the building. And it wouldn't do to have them see her the way she was.

She quickly pulled her hair away from her face and straightened her bunched clothes. She knew it wouldn't matter in a few minutes, but all the same, she needed to keep up her front…if for no one else but herself…

She stepped out of the office, her head held high. There was no trace of her tears or her inner turmoil on her face as she walked through the reception area and out into the rain. She wanted to be alone for a moment, away from the kind, if not prying, eyes of her workers. She wanted to run away from it all for a few minutes…

'_Then again,_ She thought to herself as she stepped out into the pouring rain, _I did that before, didn't I'? _And bitterly she commented to herself, '_Some kind of ANBU you are, Lynn.'_

She turned her face up as she pulled her hair down. It settled into a fiery mass against her shoulders. And for a long moment, she just stood there and let the rain fall violently against her skin…as if the physical sting could distract from the lancing pain in her chest…

* * *

Sakura slipped back in through the window and closed it behind her. She was soaked and her clothes clung uncomfortably to her but she didn't bother changing before she laid down on the bed and let sleep, the only real comfort she had left, claim her.

It was two in the afternoon.

* * *

Lynn slid into a red mini and laid down on the bed she shared with Kaiba. Of course, she had the aching knowledge that she would be waking up alone again the next morning without even the comfort of a night spent tangled with one another…

It was two in the afternoon.

* * *

"You sure you're ready, Yami?" You asked, glancing over his shoulder to the spirit that only he could see.

_'As ready as I'm going to be, Aibou.'_ The Nameless Pharaoh replied.

"Don't forget we're here for you." Yugi said as he brushed dust away from the tablet.

_'I know, Yugi.'_ He smiled as best he could as his friend fitted the Millennium Items into their respective slots, unsure if he was entirely prepared for what would happen next.

Even as he slid into control of the body he shared, his thoughts weren't on the matter at hand…but thousands of miles away back in Domino…though it was close to midnight where they were, he knew it was still early in the afternoon there…it would have been a good time to go for a walk with her…

He shook his head, forcing thoughts of his lover out of his mind. There would be a time to daydream about his return to her. For now, he had something important to find…

His memories…

Locked away but not lost, somewhere in his mind, they were waiting for him…

_'Here we go…' _He took a deep breath as he pulled the three god cards from the holster slung low across his hips and presented them to the prepared tablet.

And suddenly everything was awash in gold light…

TBC


	21. Egyptian Lotus Petal One

_**Egyptian Lotus Part One**_

_**A/N: Okay, now ancient Egypt was a very different place from what we think of. As a general rule, women were equal to men in all aspects, including the ability to earn military recognition. They could be skilled fighters, and had legal rights of their own. Also (excluding the monogamy of marriage) there were no sexual taboos. A woman could take as many lovers as she desired. They also had fewer taboos on the body; a bared breast, for example, was not immodest and there were even periods of fashion that left a woman's chest bare. **_

_**Additionally, a harem was not a place for women to sit around until their master came to take them to bed. It was simply a place for unmarried women, female servants, and secondary wives to live. It was, in fact, run very much like its own business estate. They grew their own food, had estate of their own, and servants that worked exclusively on their plots of land. And there is "no evidence to suggest and no reason to believe that any of [the males working on the estate] were eunuchs." I ask that you note that I will be combining the reality of the harem and the cultural image of it. **_

_**On the matter of marriage, there was no official ceremony. The bride's things were simply moved to her husband's home. However, infidelity was, hypothetically, punishable by death; though women could initiate a divorce without a man's consent. Moreover, the Pharaoh would often marry a female of close relation, sometimes his mother, to preserve the royal bloodline. There are cases, though, of the Pharaoh taking a bride to seal alliances and foreign contracts. And though there would be only one "Great Wife" or "King's Great Wife" there would be a host of minor wives to increase the chances of producing a male heir. But this left minor wives in a position to attempt to usurp the throne and place their own son on the throne. **_

_**On the matter of names: Nathifa means "pure" and Omorose means "beautiful" Their surname, Mubarak, means "blessed one." **_

_**Thanks for your time; I hope these notes make the read a bit easier. ~.^**_

_**Disclaimer: We have ZERO ownership of Naruto and Yugioh!**_

Nathifa drew her cloak hood up and over her face, attempting to shield her skin from the unforgiving rays of the sun. She didn't like the Egyptian heat, and the humidity only added to her discomfort. Her sister was much better suited to the climate.

Nathifa stole a glance at her sister: Her skin was a deep caramel, protecting her from the worst of the sun; that, with her candy apple hair and hazel eyes, gave her the air of some kind of forbidden fruit. Even her relatively innocent sister was aware of that, so she couldn't even begin to imagine how men looked at her…She averted her eyes, feeling suddenly inferior.

She hadn't been excited about the call from the capital. The Pharaoh, having no living female relatives, for the first time in a thousand years required a wife from outside of his bloodline. It had caused quite a commotion among the villages under his rule. Envoys were sent with to the farthest corners of the empire with an order to find and bring back beautiful women.

But she had been quite happy in their village. It was quiet-nothing like the noisy, bustling capital port city. It seemed there was never a moment of peace…And she had very little desire to be in the middle of any of it.

She turned to look at the harem she knew she was likely to call home for a very long time to come…

* * *

"And would you really have been happy there for the rest of your life?" Omorose replied as she rubbed oil into her skin, her legs dangling into the pool of water her sister was wading in.

Nathifa was beginning to regret having started the conversation. It was hard to make her sister understand when so many of her misgivings were internal. And Omorose had such a sense of adventure that it was even more difficult to convey the sense of modest accomplishment she had felt in their home village.

"That's difficult to say." She finally admitted.

"You've no reason not to be excited, Sister." The red-haired beauty said. "And no reason to believe you've any less of a chance then the other women here."

Nathifa didn't want to say that Omorose was _the_ reason she didn't. It wasn't that she didn't love her sister; just that she was beautiful and confident. She had an air about her that suited the role of wife to the Pharaoh.

"In fact," Omorose continued, "I think the gods favor you above many here."

"No less than they favor you." She replied.

Her sister smiled at the compliment before good-naturedly ordering her sister to hurry and finish bathing. It was the night before the day of selection and she needed to rest.

"Go ahead." She replied, "I think I'll stay a bit longer."

Her sister nodded, disappearing into the next room. She waited until her footsteps had fallen away completely before she let her eyes fall to the water.

She stared back at her reflection, wondering why she had been chosen at all. She was hardly the standard of beauty: She was pale, and her hair, reaching to the small of her back, was pink-not the ebony ideal. Her figure was not as full as her sister's and her eyes were an oddity even to herself. They weren't the dark, seductive eyes so many other women had. They were green.

She sighed to herself, rising from the water and following after her sister.

* * *

Her eyes opened, moonlight flooding them. She rolled over, burying her head in the crook of her arm and trying to fall back asleep. She lay awake, staring at the floor, for some time before she rose. She pulled a wool cloak over her shoulders and slipping into the night.

* * *

Omorose's eyes flickered open and fell automatically to the pallet beside her. It was empty…

Her brow knit as she reached across the span of floor between them. Her hand came down on the bedding. It was still faintly warm. Her eyes drifted to the right of the bedding, and she realized her sister's cloak was also gone.

'Silly girl…' She thought to herself as she pushed away the blanket covering her legs. She slid into her sandals and secured a shawl around her shoulders before she, too, slid through the door and into the streets.

* * *

The streets were quiet, the night clear and cool. The moon hung high in the velvet night, a silver crescent. And it seemed, for a moment, that she was alone…But there was a murmur that was quickly growing more violent. She stopped, wondering if it was just her imagination…

It grew louder, and even from her position she realized they were talking about the Pharaoh…

"It won't be hard," One hissed, "The guards will be distracted; he'll be unprotected."

"And we'll hang!" The other protested.

"They won't catch us." That was a third voice, harsher than the others.

Nathifa backed away, intent on reaching the guard detail before they did. But as she did, her ankle collided with a clay jar, toppling it. It split with an almost deafening crack. She inhaled sharply in her alarm, unable to suppress the knee-jerk reaction.

"What was that?" One of the men snapped.

Three figures appeared from the darkness, slender daggers gleaming in the moonlight. They wore ugly expressions, their lips split with sadist grins.

"It's a woman." One smirked.

"And an annoying one at that." His companion replied icily.

"But if she's a good girl, we might let her go…for a price, of course." Their comrade leered.

"You intend to kill the Pharaoh and you would have me hold my tongue? Isis help me if I fall to your lowly form of 'persuasion.'" Nathifa's hand fell to the dagger at her hip, though she knew her chances of besting three men were poor at best.

"What a shame." The first replied.

The first lunged at her, but she was lighter and therefore faster. She easily avoided him by stepping to the left. As she did, the second one came at her. She lifted her dagger, fending his off. But the evil glint of metal filled her peripherals from behind.

"Nathifa!"

Omorose's scream as she turned the street corner was drowned up by the sudden beat of hooves against the baked ground. Something massive and white slid between her and man at her back. The grating pitch of metal on metal filled the air. The younger Mubarak sister felt something come around her waist, and even before she recognized the pull above her hips, she had been lifted from the ground.

Her eyes flickered up and she realized who her savior was: The Pharaoh…

His eyes were liquid fury as they fell on the trio of traitors. His sword shone with a faint halo of reflected moonlight, bathing his body in silver. A gold ornament, an inverted pyramid, hung from his neck.

More noise assailed the once quiet section of street as the royal guard swarmed and surrounded the collaborators. In a single, practiced motion, fifteen spear heads fell, forcing the three back to back. And more were coming, filling the street from the side paths like water flooding the fertile Nile.

The Pharaoh's wrathful gaze fell on them and he spoke: "Take these three away."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The replied was instant, unanimous.

He then turned to the woman in his arms and smiled, "You have shown remarkable loyalty."

"It is not my place to question the gods that would have you ascend the throne. May you live, prosper and be healthy." She replied.

"Nathifa!"

The young woman glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes fell on her sister, blocked by the procession of royal guards. "Omorose!"

She tried to push through them, but a hand came down on her arm and pulled her back. She spun on her heel, coming face to face with the High Priest.

"Release me!" The red haired female demanded.

"Wait." He replied icily.

With a practiced twist of her body, she slipped from his grip and through the crowd. She didn't see the shadow of astonishment cross his angular features. After all, no one had ever before escaped his grasp.

"Sister!" Nathifa cried as the elder Mubarak approached.

The Pharaoh eased her down, watching as the sisters embraced and fell to their knees in front of him. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for guarding her." Atemu just smiled, nodding as he turned his horse around and began back down the street.

Omorose pulled her sister from the ground, holding her and quietly reprimanding her for getting into such trouble. To which, of course, Nathifa replied pointedly that she, too, had been out in the streets after dark.

"Troublesome child." The elder smiled.

She took Nathifa's hand as they walked away from the thinning clot of guards and priests. But as they passed a certain High Priest, Omorose couldn't help but shoot him a rather sharp smirk. She found it amusing that she had so easily slid from his fingers.

And he couldn't help but watch her as she turned the corner and disappeared.

TBC


	22. Egyptian Lotus Petal Two

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Two **_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh. **_

_**A/N: Let me remind all of you that this is a co-authoring project with my best friend, Tiffany. And shortly here she's going to have an interesting sequel for all of you to read up on her pro. ^^ Also, rhodonite is a type of pale pink garnet. **_

"Should you not be worrying about your own appearance, Sister?" Nathifa asked, glancing at her sister through the vanity mirror.

Omorose didn't have an immediate answer. Reason would stand to dictate that she would be scrambling to prepare herself as the other women were. But she had increasingly in the previous twenty-four hours found her mind wandering not to the Pharaoh, but to his High Priest.

He was the sort of man that she liked investing her time and interest in. He was icy, calculating, egotistical…He was the sort of man she liked to take apart and figure out. But he was more than an enigma for her to solve; he was a man that she knew would never falter… a man to match her sense of pride. He was the kind of man she could see herself having long conversation with: Intelligent.

"I will worry about myself later." She finally replied.

Nathifa didn't question it. Her sister was a bit of mystery even to her sometimes.

The younger Mubarak rose to her feet. She was satisfied with her appearance: Her dress was a simple white linen, folded and knotted under her breasts-the shoulders were pleated. The skirt was long, falling to her ankles, but a high left slit revealed her leg to the upper thigh. She wore several gold bangles and lapis lazuli earrings. Her eyes were rimmed with kohl, her lips painted a lustrous red.

She didn't have time for much more than a spray of lily-based perfume before the priest ushered them into the palace. She stood with no less than sixty other women, all of them adorned as elaborately as she was. And all likely just as nervous. It seemed a small eternity passed between them before the Pharaoh entered.

He looked…every bit the ruler he was. He was composed, structured, regal…handsome…Nathifa shook her head lightly, trying to focus.

Atemu glanced down the line of woman, stopping when his eyes came to rest on her; there was no mistaking that woman. Even in the pale moonlight wash of the previous night, he had found her unusual eyes riveting. She reminded him of a walking gem: Her ivory skin, rhodonite hair and liquid emerald eyes…

She shifted, seemingly uncomfortable beneath his gaze. She wondered if he found her offensive when compared with the many deeply colored, wavy hair women before him…

He approached her, his hand coming under her chin and gently picking her face up. He smiled, brushing a strand of loose hair away from her face.

"Your name was Nathifa, correct?"

"Your Majesty, that you should remember my name at all is an honor."

"And you are certain this is what you want?" He asked.

It took her a moment to realize what he was asking: If she wanted to be his bride. And despite the relative equality she enjoyed as a woman in an Egyptian empire, it was a shocking proposal: That he should give her the choice when reason dictated she was there for that exact purpose…she was convinced…

"I would like nothing more."

* * *

Nathifa nervously traced the lines of the bed spread. Atemu's entrance, as gentle as it was, startled her. The door closed behind him, pulled shut by his attendants, and he crossed the room to draw the silk curtains. He smiled at her gently in an attempt to calm her. She reciprocated the gesture and he turned away to undress. He shrugged his cloak and his light tunic off, leaving his hip wrap secured.

He approached the bed, his hand coming down on her shoulder. His thumb drew light circles on her pale flesh. "Is this your first time?"

She nodded, wondering if that annoyed him.

"I'll be gentle." He replied.

His leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. And she found herself responding to the soft probes of his tongue. She inclined, moving against him; her legs shifted, sliding to either side of his hips. He tenderly pushed against her, his right hand cradling the small of her back as he laid her against the bed.

He pulled back slightly, smiling reassuringly at her. His hand slid from underneath her back to her stomach and down. He parted the linen at her hip, revealing her toned legs. Then he loosened the knot of her bodice, undoing the seams of cloth slowly until she lay bare beneath him.

His lips trailed hot kisses from her navel, over her décolleté, and along the curve of her slender neck. Her arms came over his neck, holding him gently against her. She leaned back, lifting her head, trying to better expose herself to his ministrations. The heat of his body against hers was intoxicating, his musky scent sensuous.

She moaned as the cloth of his hip wrap fell away, brushing her hypersensitive skin. He pulled away suddenly, lovingly brushing hair away from her sweat-damp skin. He adjusted himself over her, letting his hand slide against hers; they're fingers twined as he gently pushed against her slit.

Nathifa writhed beneath him; it wasn't pain, but a barrage of sensation from nerves that had never been used. His first, tentative thrust forced a rough gasp from her lips. She pushed against the bed, her chest pressed flush against his. His hand slid up her thigh and beneath her hip, gently pulling her up.

Her breath escaped in ragged pants as his thrusts became deeper, faster. She moved with his body, flexing her back so that each plunge of his hips caressed her. She arched her back, wrapping her legs around his waist. As she did, he lifted her so that she lay against the wall adjacent to the bed.

Each rotation of his hips drove him in and up against her. And each one had her moaning, gasping for air. Her hands fell away from him, twining with the bed sheets in an almost desperate bid to keep hold of reality.

"Pharaoh…" She gasped as she pushed against the wall, tilting her hips up.

"Atemu…Call me Atemu." He replied, words difficult in coming.

She wanted to say something, but she was slipping…Thought was being shoved aside by the tangled motions of their sweat-slick bodies. She heard him groan, his breath becoming shallower.

His last thrust pushed her over the edge of simple pain or pleasure. She cried out, arching her back as she shuddered. The sudden tremor of her body drove his own climax and he gave a hoarse groan as his seed flooded her.

For a moment, it was all either could do to lay there and catch their breath. But Atem recovered first, arranging a blanket around her. He rose, wrapping a clean linen around his hips as he walked to the door.

"Prepare a bath." He said simply.

* * *

"Are you sore?" Atemu asked as he gently washed her shoulders.

"Not at all." She replied, punctuating her response with a yawn.

"But you are tired." He observed with a smirk.

Nathifa blushed, averting her eyes. How could she not be? He had the stamina of a lion.

The Pharaoh rose from the hot water, taking her hand and helping her from the large basin. He draped a square of white linen over her; tying the bodice in place, he secured the waist with a wide, flat belt in a soft weave.

"Go get some sleep." He said.

She nodded, finding her hand lingering in his for a long moment before she could pull herself away.

* * *

Back in the Main Hall, as the rest of the women were escorted out, most upset over the Pharaoh's choosing, one simply smiled, not disturbed or bothered in the least.

Omorose, whose comfortable stride away from the room symbolized just how unaffected she was by his decision, was more than glad their devoted leader had chosen her beloved younger sister to be his bride. In her eyes, it appeared he didn't even glance in the direction of the other façade covered females; the moment his blazing amethyst eyes rested upon Nathifa, she was all that mattered to him.

Omorose laughed softly to herself, taking a walk around and exploring the new scenery. Her sister deserved this and she couldn't have been happier for her.

After all, to be truthful, unlike Nathifa, the Pharaoh didn't really interest her. Sure she was grateful he was such a generous and kind king and his looks weren't bad either, but she just wasn't attracted to him. There was a certain someone else that had caught her attention and made the fire in her belly flare to life.

Ever since they were young, Nathifa wasn't too ecstatic about her features. She wasn't like Omorose or other Egyptian women and that bothered her to no end. Pink hair and pale skin, she always used to say, would never attract the males so why bother even hoping? It didn't matter what Omorose said or how many times she complimented how pretty her younger sister was (and truly meant it), Nathifa was in denial.

In Omorose's eyes, there wasn't one thing, one feature at all, that she would change about her sister. Nathifa was unique, proof that Egyptian women weren't all the same. Besides, what was so horrible about being different? Being different expressed your individuality. Omorose took her own hair as an example. There weren't many women in this country that had red hair, that is, if there were any at all, besides her.

Smiling to herself, she heard the echo of another presence in the hallway. There was something about this other presence that made her whole body jump slightly, her heart skipping a beat, almost like it knew who was coming before they made their appearance.

She glanced up to see none other then the man who had taken over her thoughts just mere hours beforehand, the man who had stirred the dormant fire within her: High Priest Seto.

Fighting back the heat that tempted to paint her features, she remained where she was, hearing and feeling her increasing heartbeat as Priest Seto moved closer.

"Congratulations to your sister becoming our queen." He smiled, his blue eyes locked onto her hazel orbs.

He had to admit it was a surprise seeing none other then the woman who made a mockery out of him here in the hallway, but half of his mind was screaming at him that he wasn't complaining.

It was almost like he was happy to see the redhead again, and especially grateful she wasn't chosen by the Pharaoh. He had no idea why he wasn't thinking straight but wasn't too worried about showing it in his facial expressions.

"Thank you Priest Seto." Omorose responded. "I only hope the gods smile down upon her and wish her well as you." She continued on her way after that, the smile on her face never wavering.

Once her back was turned, she sighed softly to herself, trying to calm down not only her racing heart but herself in general. She didn't know or understand why, but the priest had some sort of affect on her. It was like she suddenly had a thing, a thing she didn't even know existed within her, for guys with a rough exterior and cold yet dazzling eyes.

She wasn't about to jump to conclusions to get ahead of herself. She would just let this play out slowly and see where it headed.

* * *

Priest Seto, unbeknownst to the reason why, looked over his shoulders and, having no doubt his eyes weren't deceiving him, saw that same smirk she had directed towards him a day ago. She had escaped him quite easily yet again.

There was something about this woman that he couldn't figure out. She wasn't like others or even her sister: she was fiery, blunt; unafraid of authority and the power they held.

She was more than he ever thought he would find in a woman, not that he was looking…until now. After all, Omorose was the first ever to defy him and escape from his grasp.

As he continued walking, he smirked, wondering why he was unable to think about anything else but her since their first encounter.

_She has guts, I'll give her credit for that,_ he thought. _Perhaps a test is in order._

* * *

Later that evening, staring up into the heavens with a sigh, wondering what in the world she was going to do now with her sister being the queen, Omorose received a message, courtesy of a simple messenger boy.

Curious and intrigued to know who would want to contact her, her fingers tore the envelope open, half hoping it was her sister. Upon seeing the letting and name signed at the bottom, she almost dropped the parchment due to trembling fingers.

Was the heat finally getting to her? Were her eyes deceiving her or was she actually staring at Priest Seto's name at the bottom? She had to be going crazy; what in the world would _he_, of all people, be summoning _her_ for?

Slipping on her sandals and shawl, she just _had_ to find out his reasoning.

* * *

_This is just too weird,_ thought Omorose as she walked through the palace hallways. The letter she received minutes earlier was secured tightly in her pocket, all thought on the High Priest.

Why in the world would the Pharaoh's high priest, of all people, be summoning her at such a late hour? She didn't have anything that would interest him. Was it because she was the sister of the queen? Did he want to offer her a place or a job or something along those lines? Was Nathifa somehow behind this? She hated being so confused, especially walking down the hallways of the palace.

She sighed out of frustration. What good was getting summoned here if she couldn't find him? He should have been more specific about where to meet him!

About to curse the priest to the gods, her eyes suddenly caught something interesting.

The door to the royal bathhouse was cracked.

Something within Omorose's mind told her to take a peek, almost like gravity was pushing her towards the temptation. Her heart was pounding, like she knew she would find who she was looking for just beyond this door.

But, she knew peeking on someone, especially royalty, was against the law. She could get reprimanded and punished for spying.

But then again, she was one for giving into the mistress known as temptation.

_By the gods, forgive me._

She slowly pushed open the door and snuck in. The scene before her…amazed her to the point of no words and a face brighter then her hair. Her suspicions were correct.

Bronze skin and shiny brown hair belonged to none other then Priest Seto, the man she was trying to find. The steam from the bath gave him a kind of godly royal air; sweat rolling down his smooth skin as he sighed.

_This is…got to be my imagination_, thought Omorose as the heat had to be a combination of her frenzied blood and the steam radiating from the water.

She had to admit it was a bit strange no one was around, like guards roaming the halls, making sure everything was safe and secure, but she wasn't complaining. This was the first time she had ever laid eyes on such a beautiful man, especially one bathing.

Suddenly, she gasped. Seto's head had turned just slightly to where she could be found from the corner of his eye. She backed away quickly, finding her heel against something to trip her off balance. Wincing in pain, she gasped again, hearing the water splash. Seto must have seen her and was coming.

Ignoring the pain shooting through her from her tailbone, she got to her feet and ran, rounding a few hallways and, seeing no guards around, ducked within a room, shutting the door behind her.

Leaning against it, she sighed, placing her hand on her chest, feeling her heart racing. That was too close of a call. She was grateful no guards were still around otherwise she wouldn't have made it here alive. She then pulled out the message she received and glanced over it once more.

_Meet me in my chambers_. Well, she would if she knew where to find the damn place!

Seto's words made her sigh again as she glanced up at the room she took shelter in. Realization kicked in, making her gasp. It was more like a suite, probably a bit smaller then that of the Pharaoh's, but none the less royal. This was Priest Seto's chambers! But…she found it completely by accident!

_Isis, help me!_ Omorose thought as she scrambled about in the room, trying to figure out where to hide or at least escape.

If she tried the door, no doubt a guard or Seto himself would catch her. She couldn't risk that. Though why was she freaking out? It was Seto who summoned her here and told her to meet him in his chambers.

Thinking that to herself, she stopped pacing, calming herself down and fixing her hair and clothes, making sure she was presentable and not looking like the complete wreck that had run away from the bathhouse.

It was only a matter of minutes now before the high priest joined her. What would happen then? He didn't state the reason for why he suddenly wanted her company and that meant she needed to find out on her own.

Her stomach was doing flips, her throat gulping down lumps that appeared one after another, her hands a bit shaky at her sides. Was this how Nathifa felt when the Pharaoh chose her and led her to his bed? Was she nervous?

Omorose sighed to herself, cursing at herself for the way she was acting. She was the older sister for Ra's sake! She needed to calm and approach the situation with caution and be on her guard.

"Did you find my chambers easily?"

However, it was hard to stay calm when the voice of the man you have been thinking about for quite some time now floated into your ears from behind you, being able to hear that deep chuckle and see his signature smirk without even looking.

The moment Seto entered his room and saw bright red hair, his heart had jumped. She looked so perfect in his chambers, almost like a piece of a puzzle, a piece of his _life_. Already thoughts and intentions reared their head into Seto's mind, making his body respond in such a way he was ready to take Omorose right then and there. But he paced himself, being able to see how nervous his soon to be woman was. He chuckled mentally, taking his time approaching her.

Omorose turned and faced Seto with a smile, trying not to show how nervous she had been in the first place. "Why yes, I did. Thank you." She replied.

Did he see her in the bathhouse? Did he know she was peeking in on him? Another gulp slid down her throat as she watched him move about in his room, taking off his crown and discarding his tunic.

This caught her by surprise as her eyes went wide, the heat rising to her cheeks as she quickly turned away. Why was he getting unclothed? Just what exactly were his intentions for summoning her here?

"Tell me something, Omorose." He spoke, turning back around, his smirk still plastered on his face as he only met her backside. As interesting as it was that she was suddenly starting to show a shy side, hiding the strong girl act he was more commonly used to, he had to admit he liked what he saw. "Have you ever been with a man?"

Omorose gasped softly at his words, her eyes going wide and her heart skipping a beat. Now _this_ was unexpected. She glanced over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed slightly at the now half naked priest. "What's it to you if I have or haven't been?"

_There's the woman I know_, Seto thought with a soft chuckle._ Never one to give in so easily._ He pushed himself away from the table he was leaning on and proceeded over to her. "It's a simple question: have or haven't you?"

Omorose turned to fully face him as he sauntered over, the distance between them getting smaller and smaller. Their bodies were only mere inches away now, almost close to touching if one of them made a wrong move.

Gazing into Seto's entertained expression, Omorose fought with herself on what answer to give. Should she lie and say she had been with someone? If so, would he get mad and throw her out? Or what if she told the truth? Then what would happen?

Could she really deny the fact she was attracted, maybe more then she should be, to the man in front of her? Could she really stand to be away from him now that she was not only alone with him, but alone with him in his chambers? No, she couldn't. She couldn't wait any longer and there was no way she was letting this opportunity slip through her fingers.

"N-no." She finally found her voice, hating the fact she actually stuttered. "I've never been with anyone." Her face, now brighter then her hair, was reduced to that of a young girl, almost innocently unaware of the situation she was facing. Her heart skipped another beat, her mind screaming at her to either run or stay.

Running wasn't an answer. She was through running.

Upon hearing her answer, Seto chuckled, reaching up and cupping her face. Her skin was softer then he imagined. And the way her eyes spoke to him…she was reaching out to the priest, almost like she was begging for him to make her his woman.

He _loved_ it.

This surprised Omorose as her hazel orbs obtained a sparkle that she didn't know was possible reflecting in Seto's gorgeous blue eyes.

From the way she moved her face into his touch like a feline, the high priest knew the time had finally come to claim what was his. She was responding to his words and now his touch.

He knew it was her who had peeked on him while he was bathing but that was all part of his plan. He knew she was the type of woman who gave into her curiosities and set her up to where she would not only find him bathing, but that he would make it look like she had been caught.

He was curious as to how she actually found his chambers but that didn't matter anymore. She was here, his bed was but a mere few feet away, and he would make sure he got his redheaded beauty one way or another.

"Well then," He whispered softly, leaning in close to her ear. "I'll be sure to change that fact." Sliding his hand to the back of her neck, his other around the small of her back, he pulled her against his chest, crushing his lips to hers.

The spark that he felt, that Omorose felt, it was unlike anything they had ever encountered. Their warm lips moved with fervor with one another, her arms snaking around his neck after sliding her hands up his chest, taking their time to remember details of his smooth exposed chest and pulled him equally as close.

This was too good to be true, but Omorose couldn't, and wouldn't, deny this is what she wanted. She didn't care why it was her he chose; she was just relieved Fate had thrown them together, just like Nathifa and the Pharaoh were chosen for each other.

The way her body fit perfectly against Seto's, it was like she was made for him and vice versa. Their tongues rubbed together, already wrestling more dominance, each letting a new side of themselves be revealed. The intense passion behind their first kiss was something that could never be understood by those who didn't understand the meaning of love.

Sure they hadn't known each other for very long, and rarely spoke to each other, but Omorose sensed an attraction. And it was that attraction that pulled her to Seto from the very first moment they laid eyes on each other.

Seto had never felt anything like this in his entire life. He never once wondered what it would be like to have a woman warm his bed, to stand by him as his bride, to bless his cold heart with something so fragile as love.

But Omorose had ignited something within him that day. Something he never thought he realized he had until one look into those hazel orbs caught his eye. Since then, she became his target, his minds only subject, focusing on a plan to capture her into his web. It didn't take long and now that he had her in his grasp, there was no letting go.

Moist lips pulled away, soft pants following after as breath came back to the surprised lovers. Omorose's face matched her hair, Seto finding it adorable.

He moved her backwards, falling to his bed only seconds later, her body bouncing a few times, making her giggle softly. Seto smiled, an actual genuine smile, as he wasted no time in hovering above her body, kissing her once more with just as much passion as they shared just moments before.

Draping her arms around his neck once more, Omorose moaned in the kiss, her body heating up in a new way she didn't know existed. It made her slightly uncomfortable and prayed she wouldn't embarrass herself.

Seto moved his lips down her neck, his hand sliding down her chest and cupping her breast, making another soft moan slip from Omorose's lips. Chuckling when he heard that delicious noise, he untied her bodice and flung it away, liking what he saw.

As she said before, Omorose had never been so close to a man to be intimate like this. But as shy as she was, she wasn't able to hide from Seto, who accepted her into his arms and trailed his kisses down her chest, her heart racing wildly.

Her hands ran through his soft hair, tugging it slightly as they shared another deep kiss.

Starting to grow impatient, Seto could feel his erection straining behind his hip wrap, which was only getting worse the more Omorose wiggled underneath him. Gods, if only she knew what she was doing to him.

Seto never knew a mere woman would be able to stir his blood this much. He couldn't take it any longer. He _needed_ her, _wanted_ to be inside of her.

His hands ripped off what was left of her outfit, leaving her body completely exposed to his blue eyes, which took in everything he saw, his smirk growing wider as he licked his lips.

Omorose blushed and smiled, liking the way Seto's eyes scanned her body. Was she to his liking? She had to be; she had never seen his smirk so wide before.

"You're beautiful." He whispered, making her hazel orbs go wide as they shared another kiss.

This one, unlike the others, wasn't so rough but rather soft and gentle, like he was taking his time with her; despite the way his eyes shone how hungry he was.

Wanting to feel just how ready she was, his hand slid down her soft chest and to her womanhood, feeling her body jump slightly at his touch, hearing her breath hitch as soft whimpers escaped her lips. Two fingers were thrusted into her core, making her whimpers turn into moans. Gods, she was already soaked. She had been waiting for this long enough.

Reaching down he discarded his wrap, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her onto his lap, making her gasp.

Her throbbing core that had been screaming at Seto to take her was placed directly on top of his rock hard erection, making the pleasure spike through her body even more, a whimper coming from her lips, earning a chuckle from Seto.

"You know, Omorose, tonight just isn't a night for the Pharaoh to choose a bride."

Omorose's eyes went wide, hoping and praying she knew what was coming next. If she was right, and she hoped to god she was, she already had an answer for him.

Leaning in close to her ear once more, in turn making his length slide slowly into Omorose, he whispered, "Will you be my bride?"

Tears of happiness sprang from her eyes as she smiled. "Yes, Seto!"

That was all he needed to hear.

He pushed her down back onto her back and, kissing her more roughly, plunged deeply inside of her, earning a scream. They held onto each other tightly, his thrust becoming deeper and harder, their bodies clinging together by the sweat they produced.

It was hard to believe Omorose had never been with anyone from the way she moving, which at first set Seto on the borderline of disbelief, wondering how dared touch his woman.

But the way she cried his name, the crimson that caught his eye as it trickled down her leg, he knew she had been telling the truth.

Her legs wrapped around his waist, moving his body with his thrusts, begging the priest for more. He went faster now, pulling her once more into his lap where she bounced, making the priest himself moan out his bride's name.

Just like he doubted her for a split moment, Omorose had to wonder how in the world Seto became a god in bed. It was like he knew a woman's weak spot, where to touch, and how to say just the right words to make her core scream. Had he taken other women to bed like this? Had he spoken to others the way he spoke to her? No, that didn't matter now. _She_ was his bride, no one else. She _refused_ to lose him now.

It was like they gained courage as they rolled around in bed, getting tangled up in sheets, each gaining a place on top, before Seto took over for the last time, the cry of, "Seto!" echoing off the walls as his release filled her body.

Panting and keeping her in his arms, Omorose rested on her lover's chest, still feeling him deep inside of her. Seto smirked with a light chuckled, running his hands through the soft fire that was his lover's hair.

"I believe you are in need of another bath, Seto." She giggled, gazing into her lover's eyes.

"Care to join me this time?" He asked, kissing her delicious lips once more.

Omorose gasped at this and now knew her peeking had been found out. But she smiled anyways, not caring anymore. After all, her weak and sore body was delightful punishment enough.

"I'd be delighted."

TBC


	23. Egyptian Lotus Petal Three

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Three**_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

"_Our World is more than we see._

_There's danger that lies beneath."_

_**Marion Raven**_

_**A/N: Now, Isis the goddess is the protector of the dead. Isis, the Millennium/Sennen Item holder, is just a woman-albeit a woman of intense power. Also, an alternative name to the Millennium Necklace is the Millennium Tauk (pronounced like "torque"). And a serious thanks to the scanslators on Mangafox. I'm taking a lot of the dialogue from there. ~.^ You guys rock it!**_

_**Now, on another note, this is going to be really similar to the manga story line. Nathifa and Omorose will be used in the scenes that are missing from the progression of the manga. You guys will see what I mean in just a moment. ^^**_

_**Just one more note: The ka is the physical and spiritual reflection of the ba, or soul. So, evil soul, evil ka and vice versa. **_

Isis shuddered under the sheer darkness of the vision her Millennium Tauk had allowed her. But there was no time to consider it; the Millennium Items of her comrades were reacting almost violently to the approach of what should have been a lowly thief. Given they had only just sealed the ka of another robber, it seemed incomprehensible that they should be assailed so viciously by another.

She turned, horror blanching her face when she realized exactly what he carried with him: the treasures and remains of the former Pharaoh…slung around his mummy was a cord that the desecrator used to drag the corpse. And the gold tributes laid to rest with him hung from the body of the man named Bakura.

Her friends and guardians were no less infuriated by the sight. Around her a cry of vengeance and justice rose; but the silver-haired man before them was only amused by their righteous anger. He demanded to know if they would "pass judgment" on him.

Shada was quick to remind him that appearing before the Pharaoh unbidden was an offense punishable by drawing and quartering.

"I want the Millennium Items!" He finally demanded.

Akhenaden replied quickly that the Millennium Items were the vehicle of justice on earth. For someone like him to touch the Sennen Items would destroy his very soul.

"You excite me." Bakura responded, "I want them even more now."

"I'll kill you myself before I permit that." Seto replied.

"Then I shall take on all of the Chosen Six at once!" The Thief King sneered.

Atemu narrowed his ruby colored eyes. Siamun, seeing this, quickly assured his lord and master that no one could stand before the combined power of the Six; it was insanity to even imply such a thing.

He, however, did not see the Millennium Scales begin to wildly tilt, or the Millennium Ring begin to writhe. Nor did his mind's eye allow him the vision that assailed the mind of the Priestess Isis.

Shada stepped forward, carefully weighing Akhenaden's warning that he might be lost in the evil and depth of the man's soul. He quickly realized that that his caution had been well founded…there seemed to be nothing but hatred and monstrous ka in the man's heart…

"This tablet is too small!" He yelled, stumbling back.

"Impossible!" Seto snapped.

"His ka is emerging!" Akhenaden yelled, bringing their attention back to the imminent battle.

There couldn't have prepared for the sheer power of the creature…It was a god-type, something that should have been impossible. God-types were pure, holy ka…the soul of a sinner should not have been able to house one!

Perhaps it was pride that drove Seto to even attempt sealing it. And for a moment, it looked as though victory was theirs'…until the stone shattered…

But far from feeling the justified apprehension he should of, Seto smirked…

"Seto! Let us combine our power!" Akhenaden suggested hastily.

But the man's pride was too great to allow that…He began to chant, calling for the ka Galestgoras. In the wake of the attack, a veil of dust rose from the floor. As it cleared, it became apparent that Seto had successfully pinned the robber's Diabound.

But his final attack failed to destroy the creature. And, in fact, the creature seemed simply to disappear. Instinctively, the Chosen Six drew closer together. It was clear that the creature had not returned to the soul of its owner…but where it had gone was a mystery…

And the answer came in the form of a sickening crack as the Galestgoras tablet was destroyed.

_'The ability to move through solid objects.' _Bakura thought with a sickening smile, _'Is a robber's dream. That is the power of my ka!' _

Multiple cries, chants, and yells split the air as the Six called forth their own creatures. The sheer power hanging in the room made the air heavy, and battle lust washed over them. There could be no mercy for such a person.

Bakura seemed immune to the threat, spurting some absurdity about having the Seven Items and contracts with evil gods of death.

And has if sealing his doom was his sole purpose, Bakura placed his foot upon the head of the mummified Pharaoh he had dragged from the Valley of the Kings.

The Pharaoh could not allow such disrespect to pass. He rose from his throne, setting his eyes on the thief despite the impending clash. Siamun cried out to him in warning, but he seemed deaf to his cries. Color and sound crashed around him, plumes of debris rising.

And in that chaos, he slipped past Bakura's guard. Shoving the surprised thief away from his father's body, he lifted he corpse from the ground. The Thief King continued to laugh, cursing the Pharaoh.

Atem's eyes flickered over his shoulder as his icy voice replied that this was the end for him.

* * *

Nathifa felt the palace shake beneath her feet. The force of the shock nearly threw her to her knees. She ran to the window, watching brilliant arcs of light race through the walls and into the Throne Room…

_'What in the name of Isis…?'_

It seemed strange, when she had time to consider it, even to herself that a mere six months had brought them so close. What had been mere kindness in the beginning had quickly transformed into mutual love. It almost didn't seem possible…But it was and now she felt that love pulling at her to go to him.

She turned on her heel, feeling another tremor rock the stone underfoot. But she immediately realized something was wrong as she entered the hall…

The torches that lit the stone passage were extinguished, and there a foul metallic odor hung heavy in the air around her. Abandoned weapons shone dully in the pale light that filtered into the corridor.

She was completely unprepared for the snap of a calloused hand against her mouth. A second hand closed around her left hand and she was yanked against someone's chest. Her eyes darted up to meet the badly scarred face of a man leering sadistically at her. He wrenched her arm up, pinning it against her back.

But she was an Egyptian woman; there wasn't a female in the empire who wasn't versed in the art of self-defense.

She stepped to the side and back in a fluid motion, breaking his hold on her arm. She dropped her weight, falling into a crouch the moment she felt his hand slide away. However, he was fast, and in the same fraction of a second had found an alternative hold on her hair.

Nathifa reacted without thinking: she slung her right arm over her lap, drawing the dagger at her left hip. Swinging the blade up, she severed the clutch of hair he had seized and pushed off of the balls of her feet, somersaulting into a better position. The impetus carried her to her feet and she pivoted to face him.

"How dare you invade the palace of the Pharaoh?" She hissed.

"I would invade more than that." He responded, his eyes raking her body.

She resisted the urge to shudder as an icy chill passed down the base of her spine. She refused to show weakness before him.

Nathifa watched him pull a long, sinister dagger from the folds of his tunic. The blade reflected the poor light into his dark eyes. He tossed the weapon up, grasping the handle and directing it at her stomach. She levered her own dagger down.

The sound of metal grating against metal and metal striking stone chorused in the same moment: As she pushed his weapon aside, he lunged at her. He found purchase on her throat, knocking her blade out of her hand with his free hand. His weight and speed carried both of them to the floor. Nathifa's head struck the stone as his body came down on hers, pinning her.

"You're proving troublesome." He smirked, running his blade around her upper arm.

"Nathifa!"

A thin blade flew from the void of the hall, and it was only a practiced leap backwards that saved him.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"My name is of no importance!" Omorose snapped back as she appeared from the darkness. Gripped between her slender fingers were a number of scalpel-like blades.

"Perhaps your tongue would be kinder if freed from your mouth!" He replied sadistically.

The elder Mubarak's eyes narrowed as she charged him. In the dim light of the hallway, five pinpoints of silver flew at him. But to her amazement, he stood his ground: At the last possible second, he turned his long, wide dagger to its flat and lashed it down.

Metal that should have rendered flesh was captured with deadly skill by his hand. Her eyes widened perceptibly at the display of inhuman skill. And, seeing her amazement, he leered dangerously as he drew his arm around and directed them back at her. Omorose's instinctive curl of her back was the only thing that saved her from certain death. However, in doing so, she exposed herself.

Even before the blades had sunk into the stone behind her, Bakura spun in, grabbing her long red hair and jerking his arm up. She lost her balance, falling to her knees. He pivoted hard on his heel, driving the side of her head against the wall with a sickening crack. The blow knocked her unconscious and he dropped her limp, bleeding form to the floor.

Nathifa's eyes flickered fearfully from her injured sister back to Bakura. And in the span of that fraction of a second, her eyes hardened from worry to pure hatred. He smirked, amused by her show of defiance even as he advanced upon her. For what seemed like an eternity, there was no even the sound of her own breathing to break the silence…

And then the eerie calm was shattered by the collective cry of palace guards, their spears gleaming dimly in the poor light.

Normally, such weak fools as palace guards would have been easily disposed of. But the Pharaoh's timely summoning of the Obelisk god ka had badly drained his ba. He would have to fight another day.

Smiling maliciously at Nathifa, he stepped into the shadows. And for a moment she wondered what on earth he was doing…He was walking into a wall…But as the guards flooded over her, she realized he had simply disappeared…

* * *

"I await your punishment for my ineptitude." Mahado said, kneeling behind his king.

It had been his duty as the Guardian of the Royal Tombs to ensure that such desecration was not permitted. And he had failed in that duty. Death would be proper.

"Please see to it that my father is reinterred with respect." Atemu replied.

"My…Phar…"

"He could not punish you, Priest Mahado." Siamun offered, "His father trusted you, as does he."

Mahado could only bow his head, swearing that the funerary rites would be carried out with the utmost respect and honor.

"I believe my husband would agree when I say that you cannot be everywhere at once, Priest."

They turned to greet the fourth voice, a collective gasp of concern rising from them. The Pharaoh's eyes fell first to the faintly crimson-stained band wound around her arm and then to her cropped hair. Her face and arms bore many scratches, and her slender throat was discolored with the purple stain of a bruise.

"You act as though I've been usurped by a stranger…" Nathifa replied flatly.

"Who dared harm you?" Atemu demanded, rushing to her. He cupped his hand against her cheek, his right thumb tracing the bandage tied around her bicep. "Why did you not come to me?"

She caught his hand, "I would not detract from your duties. Particularly not when they are of such grave importance."

He drew her close, feeling a combination of adoration and guilt. He was grateful to the gods for the bonds of love that held them…But his duty to her as a husband was to protect her. "Forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive, My Lord." She assured him.

* * *

"Seto, surely you are tired and require refreshment." Omorose, leaned across the bed, resting her chest against his back.

"Please," She said, "Stay. Rest."

He glanced over his shoulder at her, shaking his head.

"You are but a man! You have limits!" She cried.

"I am a High Priest first." He replied.

Omorose opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to think better of it. She dropped her eyes, shaking her eyes rather sadly. She loved him, and it pained her to see him work at the expense of his own comfort and health. But it was true that he was one of the Chosen Six, and there was no denying that they alone kept the divine order of Ma'at-the balance of good and justice in the world.

"You are…a foolish man, Seto." She finally said, lifting her head to reveal a playful smirk. "But you are a good one."

His lips pulled up slightly as he rose from the bed and took up the Millennium Rod. "I won't be long."

"And where will you go?" She asked.

"The Shrine of Wedju."

"For what purpose?" She inquired, curious.

"Priest Akhenaden desires to speak with me."

TBC


	24. Egyptian Lotus Petal Four

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Four**_

_**Disclaimer: WE DO NOT OWN NARUTO OR YU-GI-OH!**_

Akenhaden knew the Pharaoh would never submit to a hunt of any kind. But particularly never among the commoners that he ruled over. He knew this, and he knew that his king would be deeply displeased with Seto's interpretation of his duties.

But whether his failure to argue against it more persuasively stemmed from his own personal conviction that perhaps they did indeed need to act as the Pharaoh's shadow, inextricably attached to him but an entity of its own, or his desire to have his son think well of him.

* * *

Nathifa shook her head, displeased with the High Priest's cutthroat actions against his own comrades. And in a mere practice duel at that! It was one thing to fight that way in battle, when lives and souls were at stake. But…she could not condone such vicious action in a sparring match.

How he could cut down his own comrade's ka, knowing that it would in turn drain their ba, their very life-force, only to charge his own spirit creature was beyond her ability to understand. And worse yet was his cold mockery of Mahado for protesting such treatment.

"He troubles you." Atemu noted, catching her expression as the High Priests returned to the stone field for another match.

"I apologize, My Lord."

"For what?"

"It is not my place to remark on a High Priest."

"You are my partner, my equal before the gods." He replied, "Your thoughts are your own, but should you voice them, no one would dare rebuke you."

"Just please, Lord Atemu…be careful."

"You fear his tactics would doom me in battle?"

She nodded, "Pride can be a source of strength but it…it runs too deep in him."

"He is extreme in his tactics, but he is a good man. That much, I promise you."

* * *

Mahado explained his procedures, assuring the Pharaoh he would do all he could. Of course, none of the plan that he had actually devised was said aloud. They didn't know how far Bakura's powers extended. A slip of the tongue could end disastrously for them.

"I believe," Seto suddenly smirked, "That a second failure should end in a stripping of his Priestly duties."

"That is for the Pharaoh alone to decide!" Siamun snapped.

Atemu didn't bother with Seto has he turned his gaze to Mahado, "Do not let your failure blind you. I have faith in you."

* * *

Omorose glared viciously at her husband. Did he not realize that his sharp tongue insulted not only the Pharaoh, but the gods who had predestined him to sit upon the throne? He was going to bring damnation upon himself, it not others, if he failed to master his sharp tongue.

"I must wonder if you care for me at all, Seto!" She cried as he rounded the corner.

If her outburst startled him, it didn't show on his face.

"Answer me!" She demanded.

"What answer do you want?" He replied coldly.

"At the very least, an honest one!"

"I love you. But duty comes before all else."

* * *

The sun rose that next day, bringing grief and confirmation that the whole of Egypt could very well be in serious danger.

"Mahado…" Nathifa trailed off, her hand coming over her mouth in horror.

A sudden cry of grief filled the throne room. She turned to see his apprentice, fighting desperately with the guards to reach him. It was only on her husband's order that they cleared the way for her.

"Ma…Master!" Mana cried, falling to her knees before the stone tablet. "Please, Pharaoh! You can summon him! I want to see him!"

"No, Mana! Let him rest after his battle." Isis said, her eyes and tone kinder than her words, "Besides, your heka isn't yet strong enough to see spirits."

"Then…I'll become a powerful magician!" She replied resolutely despite the tears running down her face.

Nathifa knelt down beside the girl, placing her hands on her shoulders. Her cheek rested against the young woman's. "He would be proud."

"And of Bakura?" Seto finally asked.

"There is no sign." One of the guards replied.

"Then we'll have to consider the possibility that Mahado's weakness sacrificed the Millennium Ring to him." Seto replied, "Pharaoh, allow me to take troops into the city to protect the people."

Akehaden knew instantly that his intentions were far less sincere than his words…He was going to hunt for a _ka _strong enough to best Bakura…

"Yes. See to it that none of my people are harmed." Atemu replied.

* * *

"You're a better man, Seto, than they think." She said as he passed her on his way out of the throne room.

He snorted, "What makes you say that, Omorose?" He didn't bother turning to face her. It was hard to keep his mind where it needed to be when he looked at her…

"Your tongue is sharp but you…waited to speak."

She was so touched at the small and overlooked gesture of respect. His words on Mahado had not been kind, but had he truly hated or thought the man was weak, he would not have allowed Mana time to mourn. Nor would he have come to the throne chambers at all when news of it reached him. But he had been there…

Omorose stepped up behind him, running her hand from his shoulder down his back. She felt him tense just slightly beneath her palm. She let it slide down and around his hip. His fingers twined with hers there at his side.

"You're a good man, Seto…better than even _you_ want to think…"

He took a step forward, letting her hand slide from his. She smiled as she drew it up to her heart.

* * *

"Thank you, Priest Akhenaden." Nathifa said, bowing her head in respect as she walked past him.

"It is an honor for the Pharaoh's wife to pay tribute to one of our own." He replied. "I will show you to his tablet."

The Shrine of Wedju was a truly massive place, Nathifa thought as he led her along the walls. But it was also…barren. It seemed so sad that Mahado would rest here for all of eternity, his sleep interrupted only by the call for battle.

The priest in front of her stopped, motioning ahead. Her eyes followed the line of his movement and she nodded her gratitude once more. He replied with a similar gesture before turning around and walking back down the corridor. She continued in the opposite direction.

'Oh, Mahado…'

She knelt down beside the stone tablet that bore his likeness. It was resting among several distinguished _ka _and she wondered if that was her husband's doing or the only real honor his comrade, the Guardian of the Shrine, could offer him.

She reached up, tracing the carving lightly with her fingertips. To her surprise, it was faintly warm…

"Mahado…"

It seemed almost silly, but she continued to speak. She wanted him to know that his sacrifice had meant something to all of them, not just the Pharaoh. And though his greatest honor was found in the Pharaoh's mourning for him, she could offer up her own tears.

"Mana has sworn to follow in your footsteps. Even now, she practices her heka faithfully. She will be a magician to make you proud, Mahado. But there's something else, High Priest…No one faults you for the loss of the Millennium Ring; Priest Seto can be…cold, but I think he feels your absence more strongly than we do. You were his…his opposite, and surely his equal despite his protestation. And…thank you…for defending _him_ to the end…"

As she rose, leaving a bouquet of lilies at the feet of the tablet, she thought she heard a faint whisper reply, "My soul is his eternal servant."

She turned back around, tears running down her face as she glanced at him again…

She shook her head; it was selfish to cry for his sacrifice. He had done it because he loved his Pharaoh. There was no one with the right to cry…still, her vision blurred further and as she turned to leave, she found herself resting against someone's chest.

"It's alright, Nathifa." Atemu whispered, holding her, "I'll make this right."

* * *

The day really could not have gone better, Seto thought to himself as he climbed in beside his wife. It was as if the gods has aligned themselves to his cause and engineered the universe to work to his ends: To find a superior ka was one thing, but to find enough to perform the necessary research experiments was a blessing. Soon, the tortures would begin and likely within the week he would have the answer for maximizing and drawing out her White Dragon ka.

"You're in a good mood." Omorose noted, rolling over onto her side.

He smirked without reply as he leaned over, kissing her passionately.

* * *

Akhenaden knew Bakura was there before the sound of his foot fall reached his aged ears. It had been an inevitable consequence of his profession that he had been willing to undertake. But he hadn't been prepared for the sheer power the Millennium Ring had afforded his Diabound.

It had been a battle that was over before it began. He had come to that conclusion within his own heart as the stone tablet he attempted to use was shattered. Lightning-like streaks of movement danced across the temple walls, flashing white.

Fear erupted in his heart as he was thrown back. The sensation of his back striking the stone wasn't painful, but the sudden knowledge that he was going to die was. He had always claimed to be prepared to die for his Pharaoh.

Now he questioned if he really was…

TBC


	25. Egyptian Lotus Petal Five

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Five **_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

Seto stood over the fallen priest, his eyes narrowed and cold; Mahado had lost his life and his Millennium Item in a direct conflict with Bakura. So why had Akhenden escaped with both? It was a question he didn't have an answer to.

It was only the cry of the guards outside that alerted him to the fact that they were far from alone. He cried out a command, demanding that they stop him. But even before he had finished his statement, he knew that mere guards stood no chance when they, the Chosen Six, had been bested.

* * *

Nathifa cried out in alarm as a wave of blood arced high into the night. The screams of wounded guards cut the still night like a knife to flesh. She drew back from the balcony in horror as chunks of gore-slick flesh spattered against the stone of the palace.

Atemu ran to her, catching her shoulders from behind and shielding her from the worst of the crimson rain. His eyes fell on the ground below them before drifting to hers. There was no mystery to what he would do…the question lie in her response.

Her pale hand rose to cup his face as she pressed a chaste kiss upon his lips, "Go. But come back to me."

"Always." He replied, his hand lingering in hers even as he pulled away from her to race down the hallway.

And his lover watched as he rode out to meet his enemy…

* * *

Omorose fell before the temple of her goddess, begging her protection over the ones she loved most. She didn't know what else there was for her to do when the world around her was being steadily swallowed by the shadows of nightmare despite their best efforts to hold that tide back.

It was all she could do to let her lover retreat from her arms anymore, never knowing if he would come back to her…

She shook her head violently, forcing the thought away; had she not once claimed that nothing would tear them apart? And didn't those words carry a promise of their own? A promise from the gods that her word would stand even in the face of evil coalesced and beating at their door…

And as though her prayer had provoked the earth into shifting, the ground beneath her feet trembled with violent abandon. She spun hard on her heel, turning to meet a sudden flash of light that cleaved the sky in two…

* * *

Nathifa cried out in alarm as the Saint Dragon Osiris rose like a beacon of living flame above the city. But the implication of its summoning was bleak; what dire need would drive her husband to call upon such a creature knowing the toll that it would exact on him?

She watched in wide-eyed horror as the dark night sky was rendered by flashes of unnaturally colored light. The screams of her crying, injured, dying, wounded, scared people rose to meet her ears and she fell to her knees as the clouds above the city backlit with another violent burst of electricity.

* * *

His hand came up to clutch his chest as a white hot tendril of pain shot through him. High above him, he heard his god-beast cry out in pain as it took another blow in its quest to defend the citizens in the streets.

His ragged breath tore past his lips as he forced himself to keep moving; he was defenseless from behind, and if Diabound managed to position itself in his blind spot, he was finished. His ruby eyes focused on the Saint Dragon and he silently commanded it to fire…at the ground.

The blast lifted the dragon high, allowing it to flip around and attack Diabound in the way place that it was vulnerable: the air. There, its ability to phase through walls would be useless to it.

A jagged sphere of light tore into the creature, a triumphant roar emanating from Osiris. But in that same second, to the Pharaoh's horror, Diabound vanished into the velvet night.

"Are you surprised, Pharaoh!" Bakura yelled maniacally, "If your beast is the god of light, then my Diabound is the god of darkness!"

'No…if I take another hit I'm dead…and with his ability to camouflage himself, he can attack the city at any time…' Atemu thought, reeling his horse around to continue his pursuit.

But to his amazement, Bakura stopped his horse in front of him, "I can hear the Millennium Items calling to me! The thieves' grudge from the dark depths of hell! Give me the Millennium Pendent or you forfeit the lives of your precious people!"

Atem gritted his teeth; there was no way for Bakura to run or hide, but with Diabound lurking in the inky darkness of night, an attack on the city would be impossible to avoid or divert…But there was one way to draw his monster from the darkness…

The Pharaoh slung the Pyramid from his neck, holding it out. And the moment the Thief King's eyes fell on it, he silently commanded his dragon to attack.

He wasn't prepared for the clawed hand that caged him from the ground. In the same instant he had intended to trap Bakura, he himself had been lured in…

"Die." Bakura smirked.

Blood arched high into the air…

"Pharaoh!"

Seto's cry accompanied a shriek from Diabound as its hand was severed at the wrist, sending crimson waves flying into the air. Duos, his personal ka, spun to attack Bakura's creature again as the priests behind him summoned another wave of creatures. They flanked their king, their god, protecting him from further attack.

"Do not let anymore die!" Atemu cried even as Diabound vanished into the darkness again.

"Aim for the sky! Do not let fear still you!" Seto cried.

The small army of beasts rose to attack and in that same instant a Spiral Wave assault tore into one of them. Zerua fell, destroyed by the massive attack. And with its falling, Shada was knocked from the assault.

'Bakura, I swear I will kill you!' Atemu vowed as he watched his injured priest falter.

His own monster could not sustain another direct attack, and, with his life force invested so inextricably in the summoning of Osiris, he would end his life…But he had been charged by the gods with the defense of his land and his people needed him…

He closed his eyes, his thoughts wandering to his waiting lover even as he ordered his beast high into the sky…

* * *

Nathifa spread her arms, a sacred chant pouring from her lips.

A swirling, howling typhoon of wind flooded the room; her linen dress was pushed violently against her hip as the preternatural swell found purchase on the loose garment. Her pink hair was whipped fiercely away from her face and the gold bands decorating her arm began to rattle in violent protest. But she refused to stop, her words pouring into complicated lines as the floor beneath her bare feet began to ripple with gold light.

Omorose's red lips moved silently as she pressed her feet together, took a deep breath, and lifted her arms to the sky. The unnatural tempest of wind circled her, pulling at her, lashing against her. But her cry was not diminished.

_Isis, hear our call. _She prayed as a wave of warm light began to swell beneath her feet.

They moved in perfect opposition to each other, their words perfect reflections, as the call for fire and water, earth and air rose above the howling gale.

_Summon the four elements…_Nathifa said to herself as the speed of their words, the depth, began to increase. _Dark to light…dismay to hope…_

They sang breathlessly, changing the literal field of the energy that hung from the city. Bending it to their will, they centered their spell on the images of their beloveds and wrapped it around them.

* * *

Atemu's eyes widened as he realized the magic that hung like a natural shroud across his land was beginning to ripple…His energy began to flow again, the pain of his wounds ebbing away as he raised his hand to the sky.

_Let light pierce the darkness…let night give to the power of day!_

The clouds above him shifted and the ebony veil of the dark was torn asunder by beams of radiant sunshine. The light of the stars faded to nothingness as the moon disappeared behind a conflagration of red and gold flames.

"The Sun God Ra!"

* * *

Nathifa felt blood rise in the back of her throat as a copper tang flooded her mouth. Having linked her own ba so closely with that of her lover, she was experiencing the massive toll that the summoning of two God-beasts exacted. But the sunlight warming her pale face and the joyful cries of her people renewed her strength and she continued to chant, a trickle of crimson escaping from the corner of her white lips.

* * *

Bakura's mouth dropped in alarm as the sun pierced the darkness that Diabound has wound around itself. And in that same instant, he heard the High Priest's cry to rally once more. But if they thought he was that easy to beat, they would fall that night.

His lips pulled up as he spat another spell; in the fraction of a second it took to bend the ability of the Saint God Osiris into an electrical attack, he summoned another monster from the Shrine of Wedju to intercept the blade of Seto's Duos.

And, unseen, awakened from the depths of hell and the dark recesses of the human mind, evil began to boil.

* * *

The sun began to fade and Nathifa fell to the ground as her body failed her. A second later, Omorose tumbled to the floor beside her. They exchanged a glance that flickered between concern and disbelief as the air around them began to change…

Nathifa's eyes fell to her wrist, where the violent lashing of the gold bands against her skin had bruised the flesh. And too her horror, she saw the mark began to fade and recede as the light of the Ra disappeared…

* * *

_He…is rewinding time…How?_ Shada thought desperately to himself as he reared his horse around. Without the sudden influx of energy that had suddenly renewed the ba of his Pharaoh, his king would return to the physical state that he entered in sacrificing the Saint Dragon to draw Diabound from the darkness…

He cried out in horrified alarm as blood spilled from Atemu's lips, his gaze glazing. He reached for his king, his master, begging him to return to the palace. But in that same moment, the Pharaoh reared his horse and galloped in insane pursuit after the mad Thief King.

"I will not allow you to be injured further!" He yelled, spurring his own stallion to movement.

Atemu spared one last glance over his shoulder before he pulled ahead of them. If he fell that night…his people would need his priests to protect them.

* * *

Nathifa picked herself up from the ground and stepped to the balcony on shaky legs. Her city, plunged into darkness by the sudden void of night, smoldered in ruins. The fires of destruction lit it eerily from behind, casting the long shadows of her fleeing people against the flame-spattered ground. But there was no time for her to stand in stunned silence…

"We have to prepare, Omorose." She finally sighed as she turned on her heel.

Her sister nodded resolutely; as the queen, her sister's duty fell to the living. But as the wife of the High Priest, her responsibility lie in the completion of the purification rites and prayers the dead would require for burial.

Omorose turned down one hall as her sister walked down the other. And, somewhere between the two of them, they found the strength to believe that all was not lost just yet…

* * *

She pulled the man into her lap, bringing a ladle of cold water to his lips. He drank gratefully, tears running down his eyes as he thanked her for her kindness.

"Shhhh," Nathifa replied gently, "Save your strength."

She rose from the ground, pulling a white linen across him before her gaze drifted upwards, her heart sinking; she felt a moment of crushing defeat at the sight of the sheer volume of injured refugees accumulating in the palace. Already, the gardens and shrines had been converted to make-shift hospitals. But even with their casters, healers, and minor priests working to aid them, it seemed as though the influx was simply too great…

Her eyes glided upwards to her sister. Sprayed with crimson light from the fire raging beside her, she looked like Isis herself, the Patroness of the Dead, come to take the lost souls to their final rest. Her words weren't simply spoken, but sung and brought ease to those who already knew their flesh was failing them. But for the living, there could be no comfort…

"Lady Nathifa…"

The queen turned to face the feminine request with speed the belied her true exhaustion. "Mana? What are you doing here, dear? You should be resting away from this chaos."

"I couldn't call myself an apprentice if I did that!" She cried, her hands flying to her chest.

The pink-haired female dropped the empty bucket in her hands, wrapping her arms around the girl. "Forgive me, Mana. I did not mean to offend you."

"You could never offend me, Lady Nathifa!" She replied, tears running down her face. "But please…_please_…let me help."

She bit down on her lip, considering her request. It was hardly that the young woman's magic was poor, but that she didn't want to expose her to the horrors that the battle had wrought on the corporeal form of the people now seeking refuge. Worse still was the mental trauma she would have to combat…But she could not deny her…

"Do you know the healing heka?" Nathifa asked, drawing away and kneeling beside a wounded child.

Mana shook her head, tears springing to her eyes again.

"It's alright; I'll show you." The queen's hand shot out to hover over the tear in the girl's leg and she chanted the spell. A green light radiated from her hand and the flesh beneath its emerald aura began to close.

"Use this, Mana, only on the worst injuries. We must save as many as possible, and that means that some much endure their pain a little longer. And take care not to push your limits. We will need you still come morning."

The adolescent nodded resolutely, wiping away her tears. Her eyes, the emotional torrent behind them, suddenly settled as she dropped to her knees beside a wounded woman; placing her hands over the gaping puncture in her stomach, she began to hum the ancient words.

* * *

Omorose lifted her hands to the sky as she asked the favor of the goddess for the deceased and protection for those who had yet to come home. But mostly, she asked her divine patroness for protection over the one that hadn't returned to the home of her arms…

The Priestess turned to the controlled flame that lit the crowded stone room. Kneeling, she spread her arms before it and chanted the final words of closure for the body before her. Taking the body into her arms, she folded a clean white sheet around it. She then sprinkling cleansing perfume against the funeral shroud, she drew the mark of the ankh, the promise for life in the flesh and for eternity to come, across the plane of pallid cloth. And after a moment of respectful silence, the guards came to take the body to its ultimate rest.

She watched them carry the corpse away before she turned her hazel gaze to the neat rows of bodies that still needed her attention. And past the edge of the crisp columns of neatly arranged bodies, the chaotic battle between life and death raged for many more…

Omorose took a deep breath as another body was laid before her feet. Her eyes flickered to the heavens and her lips began to move anew.

TBC


	26. Egyptian Lotus Petal Six

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Six**_

_**Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh! Thanks to the scanslators for making all this possible with their resource material. **_

Nathifa surveyed the Six Chosen that stood before her, taking counsel from Siamun; but her thoughts dwelled in the seemingly far past of the previous night…

_She felt her knees give. But even as she fell, someone captured her hand from behind and pulled her up. He was strong, she realized disconnectedly, because the force of his attempt to help spun her around. She tripped over her own feet and it was only his arms, caging her, that prevented her from stumbling. _

_ "S…Shada…" She trailed off, too tired to be alarmed. _

_ "My Queen." He said, respectfully releasing her once it became clear she had found her balance again, "I must request a moment of your time, My Lady." _

_The queen had found it difficult to believe that Shada would approach her in the middle of such mayhem and ask for an audience; by virtue of that alone, she knew that his thoughts were serious and would require careful weighing. But she had not been prepared for the words that slipped from his mouth in the privacy of the palace hall. _

_ "The Pharaoh, Lady Nathifa, is missing and…presumed fallen." _

_ Perhaps exhaustion kept her from feeling the full impact of his statement. She felt something like a cold dagger settle in her heart and her stomach turn, but her mind was too full to allow emotion to seep in. _

_ "Have you found a body?" She asked after a long moment of silence. _

_ "No." Shada replied. _

_ "Then I refuse to relegate him to the grave yet." _

_ "My Lady, we will not stop searching until we have found him." _

_ She knew the implication of his statement was double-edged at best; if they found him, they would bring him home. But whether to sit on the throne or to be buried in the halls of his father would wait to be seen. _

The queen sighed with the memory of the night and all the long hours and life force that had gone into saving as many as they could. And yet still the wounded lie in the gardens and the temples, all waiting for more help…her magicians exhausted and her own ba all but spent, they would have to wait, she knew…though the thought of subjecting them to anymore pain brought about nausea.

She shook her head, trying to concentrate on what Siamun was saying.

"Of the Six to guard the Pharaoh, only four remain!" He snapped.

The queen nodded in silent sentiment; it would be foolish to send out more priests. With Bakura lurking around still, it was best for them to stay in the relative safety of the palace and guard the remaining Millennium Items.

"Could it be…" Kalim began hesitantly, breaking her thoughts, "That the Pharaoh has fallen to the Thief King?"

Nathifa stood to protest the statement, but Seto was yelling even before she had risen to her feet.

"The Pharaoh must be alive! And his dream to protect his country, his _people,_ is still strong! We must not lose faith!"

"Thank you, High Priest." Nathifa whispered, sinking wearily back down onto a cushion.

But even in her condition she realized that something wasn't quite right…Priest Akhenaden's eye roved the room in a way she found unnerving…like he was searching for a weakness to exploit among his own comrades…

"I sense something!" Isis cried, a faint golden glimmer rising from the torque around her neck.

"What do you see?" Nathifa asked, feeling a shiver race down her spine.

"A ripple in the darkness; alone, it will dissipate…harmless. But if two or three should overlap, they will drown the land in darkness and tragedy."

"That is the future of our land?" Siamun finally asked.

"Yes…but I see a way to prevent this." She announced suddenly. "A vessel…a vessel to swallow the swell!"

Seto moved to ask more when a guard suddenly crept up behind him and whispered something to him. What had happened, he was kind enough to share only with Akhenaden. Neither said anything further before they wheeled around and disappeared down the hall.

* * *

She was confused by everything around her: the sounds, the smells, the taste in the air…it was all so disorienting. It wasn't until a guard snapped at her to hurry up and finish eating that she remembered she was in the palace of the Pharaoh.

"Where…am I?" She asked, wondering if her mind was playing tricks on her.

"The hospital wing of the palace. When you were found, you were so weak they feared you would never wake. But Priest Seto assured that you were taken care of by the best doctor and nutured. You owe him your life." The guard replied brusquely.

Kisara shivered slightly; in her world, kindness never came without a price…

* * *

"A woman who harbors a god?" Akhenaden began.

"Yes," Seto replied, guiding him down the dark halls, "She was found in the city. But if you doubt my account or Shada's, you are welcome to confirm it with your Millennium Eye."

"Seto…if the Pharaoh has fallen, we must consider our next alternative. The palace, the land, is barren without one."

"We simply need a ka to bring Bakura to his knees. One that surpasses the gods." Seto replied, subtle in his refusal to accept the Pharaoh's death.

"Yes," Akhenaden agreed, "But we need one more thing. A new _king _for a new era. _You,_ Seto, must gain that power!"

'_For you…_,_" _Akhenaden thought, _'Are the one in Isis' prediction!'_

If the High Priest had anymore to say on the matter, he was interrupted by the appearance of a short, round man with sickly skin and a sickening gleam to his eyes.

"Please, watch your steps on the way to the dungeon." He said, taking a lantern from wall and descending before them.

"To think that we priests have to visit such a place!" Akhenaden spat in disgust.

"Not even the Pharaoh knows of this place." The man replied, "They were before even his father's time. I had quite a time trying to find those lost keys."

Seto ignored him the man's, Gebelk's, attempt to garner praise and demanded to know how the experiments were going.

"After many experiments, we've discovered that torture can kill them, making it counterproductive to the extraction of ka. However, hunger and fear do make their monsters evolve in brute strength."

"The strength of the ka is proportional to the training of the ba. What conditions are necessary to force the production of these 'evil' ka?" Seto replied, unimpressed.

"Allow me to show you." Gebelk said, motioning for them to follow him through a door.

It was too dark, immediately, to see what he intended to show them. But there was no denying the heavy aura that hung like a thick black shroud around them. And as their eyes began to clear, they saw his master plan at work.

The entire room was a massive, deadly arena of narrow pathways, spiked traps, and chains that hung over an abyss that fell for hundreds of feet into the darkness. In the middle of the arena, two men fought…not with swords…but with ka.

"Impressive." Akhenaden allowed, "They have mighty ka."

"No." Gebelk replied, "These criminals had lowly, weak ka. _I _raised them!"

"You _grew _them? How?" Seto demanded.

"This arena began with ten men and the fighting started over thirty four hours ago. They were given only one parameter: Only one man could leave the arena." Gebelk replied, motioning to the mutilated corpses that covered the room. "Now, only these two remain." The man's greasy eyes shifted, "Priest Seto, what strengths the ka…is the wielder's desire to live."

"And," Gebelk added, "We've brought the woman."

Seto's eyes shifted to the two guards that had appeared in the doorway, a young woman caged between them. Even in the poor light, he could see her pale hair and the unnatural hue of her eyes.

Kisara's gaze darted to him; her eyes shimmered with confusion more than fear. If he had saved her life once, why, now, would he jeopardize it?

"How much colossal power, Lord Seto," Gebelk asked, "Do you think she is hiding?" And, without waiting for an answer, he added, "It won't take long to tell."

Ignoring the disgusting worm at her feet, Kisara finally said, "Priest Seto…I have no way to thank you for saving my life. You have my eternal gratitude."

Seto's eyes hardened, "What is your name, woman?"

"I am called Kisara." She replied.

Her eyes, now adjusting to the dark, suddenly caught the movement behind her and she turned, in horror, to find the men and their monsters.

"What is the meaning of this? Why have I been brought here?" She asked, fear pitching her voice.

Gebelk gave a horrible, gurgling cackle and told her, "This is the underground dungeon, where prisoners' strengthen their ka."

Kisara could not stay her gasp of alarm.

"Silence, girl." Gebelk hissed, "Surely you know of the ka, the creature of the soul? There is one inside even you."

"I have nothing like that in my soul!" She protested.

Annoyed by her naivety, Seto snapped, "It is a life energy that cannot be seen by normal people. However, when driven into a corner, people can give their ka a physical embodiment. You, too, Kisara, have this power!"

Bored with the chatter, Gebelk suggested, "Let's test her power in the arena. When her heart fills with fear, it will emerge."

"She doesn't even know what it is! Let alone how to control it!" Seto snapped back.

"_If_," Gebelk replied, "She is possessed by a god, a mere criminal's ka will be easy work."

"But it's dangerous!" Seto hissed.

"Let us test her." Akhenaden finally spoke, turning his eye to the High Priest, "With no news of the Pharaoh, the palace is still unguarded! We do not have his gods to call upon! We must have one soon or we risk the breakdown of all of the kingdom!"

Seto felt something icy run down his spine and suddenly his mouth was frozen; though he wanted to protest, his tongue would not form words…It seemed as though the man was demanding something of him he simply could not give…

Gebelk did not wait for the High Priest to find his tongue again before he ordered the woman into the arena.

Panic welled in the girl's eyes and she took an instinctive step back. Seeing her move, Seto turned his icy eyes to her and told her, "Get ready."

She had no time to think or cry out as a heavy drawbridge fell to the edge of the stone platform and the guards captured her and threw her bodily into the ring. And in that same fraction of a second, the two prisoners still inside turned their murderous gazes to her.

"Who is this?" The first demanded.

"A mere woman. But who cares? Anything goes here. Let's have a truce for the moment…ally against her." The second grumbled.

Kisara felt panic seize her as the two monsters looming overhead turned on her and caged her between their grotesque bodies.

Gebelk chuckled insanely from the sidelines, "Her fear will materialize the ka and her desire to live will intensify it!"

_'Call the God…Call it now!'_ Seto thought desperately, his knuckles blanching from his grip on the armrest.

But…she didn't. She turned her beautiful face down and set her lips in a thin line and closed her eyes; she wasn't going to resist…

He wasn't sure what suddenly rose up in him and compelled him to call forth his spirit, Duos. But something did. And that same thing forced his legs into motion as he sprinted across the bridge and to her side.

"That's enough, you two!" He snapped, holding his rod defensively against the two leering men.

"So…a priest has joined us…" One of them began, his eyes glassy before suddenly steeling with fatal intent, "Now we can pay you back for the horrors inflicted on us!"

The second agreed manically, grinning as he shouted, "It's two against one! He can't win!"

Seto's eyes narrowed; he had planned to allow them to live but they had given him no choice in the matter. His hand snapped out and he captured the girl by her arm. In that same instant, his spirit cut the chains holding the platforms.

"SETO!" Akhenaden cried as the entire field fell away into the abyss. For one horrible second, it seemed he had gone with them.

But as the debris cleared and the broken chains settled, it became clear he had saved himself; the edge of his Millennium Rod was hooked to the link of one of them…and he was hanging an inch from certain death. He was so focused on keeping his grip there, that he did not immediately see the even more pressing threat looming above him.

Hanging above him was a thin spread of webs that had not been there before…and within the cocoon of silk hung one of the criminals; his ka had spun the threads to save its master.

He smirked, calling down, "Oh, priest, what has happened to your ka?"

Seto's eyes snapped to the left and he realized his spirit had been captured in a spider's web. Unable to move, it could not save him…

The terrible, gaping maw of the creature fell ominously above him…but even as the shadow of death fell across him, a strange white light began to spill from the girl he held. And the light turned to fluid that took the shape of a massive white dragon, its hide shining like blue armor in the dim light.

Akhenaden drew back in realization as the creature filled the abyssal expanse: a monster that emerged when the girl slept.

High in the dark rafters of the ceiling and shot dozens of feet into the air above them, a figure flickered into motion. It raced silently along the beams and back through the halls, unseen and unheard. It was only as it disappeared through the doorway, if anyone had bothered to look, that the woman's figure was limned. Her hair shimmered red once in the poor light as she turned to glance over her shoulder and then she was gone.

* * *

Nathifa sat down heavily upon her throne, her head held in the palm of her right hand. Her eyes stayed downcast as she motioned for the man standing before her to continue.

"I'm sorry, My Lady, we have no news." The guard told her.

"Lady Nathifa, it is time for you to consider taking up the mantle of the Pharaoh. You've no heir to place upon the throne and he took but one woman as his wife." Siamun began.

"I will _not_ take the throne." She replied with surprising vitality. "I sense yet in my heart that he is alive."

"The people need someone to follow!" Siamun responded.

"In his stead, I will take command but I refuse the place the gods decreed his." Nathifa allowed. "Please, do not stop the search for him and do not alarm my people."

She said nothing further as the guard bowed and stepped away from her. By then, her eyes were settled far past the village shining a faint gold in the high sun or the people running from the temple and gardens with supplies and even beyond the Valley of the Kings…as though she was looking at something too distant to see clearly and too far out of reach to touch…

TBC


	27. Egyptian Lotus Petal Seven

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Seven **_

_**Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh! But one of us does own Lynn Haruno, AKA Omorose Mubarak. **_

Seto tried to wake the girl, called desperately to her to _command _the god-beast and make it her own, to use it to save herself. But another cry intercepted his and his icy blue eyes turned up to Gebekl as he shouted that he must not wake the girl.

"Normally," He began, "A person's ka is controlled by their ba. But that white dragon is the ba freed from the prison of her flesh! Wake her and you risk it vanishing!"

The realization was astounding; there had never been a case of the ba leaving the body without the transmission of death as a mode of transportation. The idea of a ka and ba fused into one magnificent creature was itself a shattering idea. But whatever thoughts he had on the matter were interrupted as the massive spider that loomed overhead lunged at them.

"Seto!" Akehenden cried from the platform above.

"Wait, My Lord!" Gebelk replied as the dragon's tail coiled around them, "The White Dragon God shields them!"

The massive creature, shining divine blue, lifted its sleek head and opened the gleaming maw of its jaws and unleashed a brilliant nova-colored burst upon the spider. The entire chamber dissolved into white-hot light that bleached the room into oblivion for almost a full minute.

The column of light pierced the temple and rose high into the sky, pillaring into the velvet night and all of Egypt stood still.

* * *

"What in the name of Isis is that?" Nathifa wondered alound, her awe tempered by founded fear.

She drew away from the window, pulling a white cloak around her slender shoulders as she made for the door. She desperately needed the counsel of her sister and her Priests.

* * *

Seto held the girl in his arms as he walked across the platform. His face was set in grim resolution, though it did nothing to hide the exhaustion the ordeal had wrought on him. He looked tired in a way that surpassed the physical, though no one else in the room seemed to share the sentiment.

Gebelk hovered with anxious energy in the corner, moaning about how his old eyes had never seen such a sight before, how the gods had favored him with the vision of celestial power and beauty.

But the High Priest was in no mood to share in their excitement: He beckoned a guard forward and ordered that the girl be returned to her room to rest. The guard did as commanded, taking the girl even as Gebelk continued to prattle on.

"Amazing…that she could release her ba from her body. Kisara…owner of a dreadful power."

Seto sighed in irritation he didn't fully understand, "That girl doesn't even know the limits of her power."

"Of course," Gebelk replied, "She falls into a coma once the dragon leaves her body. Likely, she remembers nothing of the encounters."

Akhenden turned his eyes up to his son suddenly and said, "That girl's power might surpass Bakura's Diabound."

"I'm aware." Seto replied, his eyes hardening as his voice grew guarded, "If we can harness that power of the White Dragon, we might be able to counter Diabound's dark powers."

"And that is not all," Akhenaden continued, "It might be strong enough even to challenge the Pharaoh's gods."

Seto felt an icy shiver run down his spine but before he could respond, Akhenden was already demanding how to use the dragon.

"That girl is different from my other test subjects," Gebelk allowed, "For her to fall unconscious leads me to but one conclusion: her ka and her ba are fused."

"In other words, the Dragon is possessing that girl as its vessel?"

"It is so." The short, greasy man replied.

"In that case, there is but one solution: Seto, you must become the vessel for the Dragon!"

The High Priest's eyes flickered to Gebelk and he knew some small part of him hoped for the impossibility of the situation.

But that was not to be as the Torture Keep replied, "It would work; we must simply separate the girl's soul from her body.

Outrage filled the Priest as he cried, "A soulless vessel is but a dead body!"

The small man smiled eerily, "That is so."

"If you put that girl into an eternal slumber, the dragon shall accept you, Seto!" The Millennium Eye Holder said. But his dark thoughts of vicarious domination of the throne were not voiced.

Seto turned away, "We shall seek news of the Pharaoh before we move forward."

Akhenaden watched him walk away; Seto would never know that he was his son. But if he could give him the throne, he would…and to do that, he needed the God Beast that dwelled in the girl. His hands were already covered in blood and his soul was already sold to the darkness…there was nothing left to lose.

* * *

Atem was aware of the darkness first and then of something hovering just above him. For a moment, he wondered if he had fallen into the afterlife and Anubis had come to claim him. But as his vision cleared he realized it was a man.

Masked and heavily cloaked, he did not resemble anyone the Pharaoh knew of. And then the pain came…searing, burning tightness that emanated from deep in his body. He flinched, his breathing hitching as the memory of Bakura came back.

"Do not try to move yet, Pharaoh. Your injuries are severe and you require rest."

"Who are you?" Atem asked.

The man began to move away, but the Pharaoh was not deterred. He called after him and the large figure stopped and replied finally, "I am the one that governs all memory. A great conflict will soon begin…"

Atem picked himself up as the man began to move again, using the wall for support; the crypt warning only made his desperation, his need to protect his people and their lives all the greater.

For a moment, he wondered if the man was evil. But, try as he might, he could find no shadow, no stain to his aura or his soul. There was nothing about him or around him to suggest he was anything _but _what he claimed to be…

And then he was gone…disappearing into a tunnel of light that Atem realized led outside of the caves.

* * *

"Lord Shada, we have combed every inch of this forsaken rock with no sign of the Pharaoh." One of the guards began.

But he would not hear of calling off the search. His guilt, his inability to protect his lord and his life, weighed too heavily upon him to allow the stain of failure to return without at least a body to be honored. Until he was found and returned to the home of his fathers' or the Valley of Kings, Shada would not return to the palace.

He turned to look back at his beloved home only to see a sprite dancing high up in the sky. He recognized the lithe figure immediately, and the colorful aura that danced around it: Spiria…

_'Isis' ka…' _His brow knit in confusion. To his knowledge, he alone was responsible for finding the Pharaoh.

* * *

Atem collapsed along the cavern wall, his breathing painfully labored. Blood ran freely from the many wounds that marred his body. But the pain deep in his chest was a much greater source of torment.

In the dark, he did not know how many days had passed, if his people were safe…what he would find once the caves ended…But he would not allow fear to still him and he pushed his way forward, toward the light that gleamed brilliantly from the outside.

He fought towards the light, his gaze turned up at the odd, almost angelic figure that hovered high above him.

* * *

Seto stood before the sleeping girl, but, really, his thoughts were thousands of miles away; he couldn't quite comprehend the sudden change in Akhenden's persona. The man, as far as most matters went, had always been the most forgiving of even severe offenses, the most ready to forgive and certainly always the first to speak in the plea of mercy for them to the Pharaoh.

His father, he had been told, had died on the battlefield. He should never have even been taken into the priesthood. The gods, though, had intervened on his behalf, and he had been brought to Akhenaden.

As far as Seto was concerned, he had been only half a man, half a person, before then. He had known nothing of laws and morals or philosophy. It was Akhenaden who had taught him those things and had disciplined him to temper discipline and duty with compassion.

But the man who had stood before him was not that same man…he had had a murderous gleam in his eyes and a certain bloodlust. There was something treacherous about him now…

"Lord Seto! The Pharaoh! He has been found!" One of the guards cried from down the hall suddenly.

Without really knowing why, the thought of the Pharaoh being found alive amused him. Maybe it was just the sudden come down from the growing tension, but he couldn't help but chuckle. And then his eyes turned cold.

"Move that girl to another room at once and tell no one her location except me."

* * *

Isis let loose a sigh of relief as she addressed those gathered in the throne room, "The Pharaoh has been found alive, though it seems he is hurt. Shada is nearby and he has been asked to confirm my sightings."

A chorus of cheers rose up from the guards, who cried in triumph and joy with their spears raised high in tribute. But all was not entirely well, and Isis knew she needed to quell dangerous reliance on one man, even if he was a living god.

"It seems that his Millennium Item has been taken. However, in his searches, Shada has also come across the Thief King's lair."

"Where is it?" Siamun asked.

"The village of Kul Elna." Isis replied darkly.

* * *

Shada's relief at the sight of his king borne proudly on the back of a steed was almost painful. So much time, so much energy had been put into finding him that the let down was almost more than he could bear. It was a reprieve and an honor to kneel once more before his king.

"The village of Kul Elna…?" He wondered aloud, his thoughts grim.

The Millennium Pendant had been his birthright from his father; to return to the palace without it was an unforgivable offense as far as his honor went.

"Then we must head out and recover the Millennium Items." Atem said.

"No, My Pharaoh!" Shada cried, horrified, "Not with your wounds!"

"We have to take the battle to him. If we return to the city, we're allowing him to use the lives of the people of the city as his _shield_." Atem replied.

Shada nodded in reluctant agreement; turning his face up to Spiria, who hung like a many colored banner of hope above them, he relayed the message to Isis: They would meet Bakura for the final battle in the Valley of the Kings.

* * *

Nathifa was woken by the desperate rap of knuckles on her door. Fearing the worst, she rose without bothering to pull a shawl across her body. Without concern for her bare form, she threw open the door, surprised to find Kalim standing before her.

"My Lady, I apologize for interrupting your sleep so rudely." He began, kneeling before her.

"Please, do not." She replied, smiling as best she could, "You would not disturb me unless the matter was of great importance."

He nodded, grateful for her kind nature, before telling her, "The Pharaoh, Lady Nathifa, lives."

The slender female felt relief shake her very center of being and leaned heavily against the doorframe for a long moment, wondering if she was dreaming. But as reality sank in and she regained her strength, she asked, "Is he here?"

Kalim shook his head sadly, "He has continued the battle against Bakura in the village Kul Elna. There was no time for messages but he said that you know his heart and, because of that, there is no need for words."

"I understand, Kalim. Thank you, my friend. Will you ride with the Priests to the Valley of the Kings?"

"Yes, My Lady."

"I pray Isis protect you. All of you."

"Your blessing, My Lady, is worth more than all the world's gold." He replied as he rose from his kneel and walked back down the hall to the waiting guards.

"And less," Nathifa whispered to herself, "I fear, than all the world's skill."

TBC


	28. Egyptian Lotus Petal Eight

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Eight**_

_**Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh! But one of us does own Lynn Haruno, AKA Omorose Mubarak. **_

_**A/N: In Chapter 8, Sakura said she was a "virgin." Now, let me make an important distinction here: Physically, she isn't. She's completed plenty of seduction missions. The difference in her head and in the story is that she hasn't slept with someone she loved. Once she has, she'll consider herself completely non-virginal. **_

Shada shuddered involuntarily as the many, tormented and anguished spirits that inhabited the remains of Kul Elna swirled around them.

"What a sinister aura this place has." He remarked rather sadly.

The Pharaoh turned and glanced at him in quiet agreement but he said nothing; what could he? There were no words that would free the agonized souls, no incantation that would loose them, and he knew that even time itself might not afford them the ability to move on and into their final reward.

* * *

"The Millennium Ring stirs…" Bakura commented to himself as he watched the needles of the device spring to live and writhe.

_'So…the priests have come at last…'_

His own thoughts amused him and he chuckled to himself, "I would like to say, 'Welcome to Kul Elna!' but…"

His insane gaze turned up to watch a tormented spirit skittered by.

"It's a ghost town."

* * *

Seto stepped into his room and shrugged off his tunic in favor of a cleaner one. Then he moved across the room and discarded a number of items onto the table by the side of his bed before crossing the room and selecting several small weapons from his personal cache.

He said nothing to the red-headed female on his bed and she said nothing back-though how he failed to feel the hatred emanating from her was beyond Omorose. He just stood there, frustratingly stoic about everything.

Finally, she just could not stand him anymore and rose from their shared mattress and crossed the room to him. Her hand came down hard on his shoulder and she spun him rudely as she drew herself up to her full height.

For a long moment, she just glared at him and when his gaze refused to lessen, she began to yell.

"What is she to you? Is _that _where you've been? Sneaking out to see her?"

He had not considered that his wife of all people would find his secret, but even the dire need to keep Kisara an unknown factor in the war was driven away by her words; she was the one that cradled his very heart and she always had been. Even before they were born, the gods had brought them together and he intended to remind her of that.

Seto's hands came up, grasping her passionately as he brought his mouth to hers. And then he drew back, shook her once lightly, and replied, "Do you forget that I chose _you _as my bride?"

"Then…what is she to you?" Omorose asked softly, her eyes dropping.

"She is a person of special interest. That is all." He said in such an icy manner that she knew she would have no success in garner anymore information from him.

"Seto, where are you going?" She asked, tears running down her face as she eyed the dagger tied to his belt.

"To my Pharaoh."

* * *

Nathifa beckoned to one of her female attendants and she, a young woman with brown hair and caramel colored eyes, was quick to respond, "Yes, My Lady?"

"Rabiah, would you please bring my ceremonial dress?"

"Of course, Lady Nathifa!" She replied with a long, low bow before hurrying off to the inner chambers.

The pink-haired queen looked on her fondly, wondering if their children would be as light and sweet as the young woman. However, she quickly pushed those thoughts aside; there would be time to consider a family after the darkness had passed. Until then, she needed to lead her people, and to do that, she needed the counsel of the goddess.

That came, of course, with a number of rituals; one did not simply seek the goddess-there were rituals that needed to be preformed: She needed to cleanse herself with water and oil, and bring grain and perfume to Isis and mediate before she began to pray.

There was much to be done, she knew as she lowered herself into the marble tub of cool water with an opalescent sheen, and little time to do it in. Setting about the purification rites, she chanted a few words over the water and then lifted a small jar from the rim of the basin. Filling it with the sweetly-scented liquid, she washed her hair and body. And once she was clean, she rose from the water and allowed Rabiah to wrap her in her robes.

The young woman draped her in silk adorned with gold thread, wrapping the long garment in many complicated folds around her body. Then she arranged her hair into a tight fan at the back of her head and brushed her bangs into a neat veil across the right side of her face. And when at last her jewelry had been affixed, they made their way to the temple of their goddess.

* * *

Atem could feel the ghosts around him growing angrier and the shadows elongating into impossibly long, deformed caricatures of the objects they mirrored. It was a desolate place so overwhelming suffocating with grief and anger that it felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest, like breathing took too much effort….

* * *

The Priests rode in a tight formation, their combined tension netting them together just as far as their desire to defend their Pharaoh did; but their own thoughts they kept to themselves as the heavy reality of their situation dawned on them.

Without his Millennium Pendant, he would be unable to summon the God Beasts; and as much as they prayed for his safety, they were acutely aware that Kul Elna was a cursed ground soaked in damned blood.

* * *

"Trapdoors and passages?" Atem asked.

"Yes," The guard replied, "We've found several in some of the homes and buildings."

"Be careful. We have no way of knowing where Bakura is hiding." Shada cautioned.

* * *

A small set of guards followed the dark tunnels through the winding passages and into an underground temple. And in the inky black, they could see several long, silvery trails that snaked through walls and into the empty air.

"Is anyone here?" One of them called.

There was no response-only a thought, a call that echoed unheard and invisibly through the air.

_'Don't overeat ghosts…these are only the appetizers.' _Bakura thought as the silver orbs descended on the helpless men and tore their souls from their withering bodies.

* * *

Atem wasn't prepared to see one of his guards stumble back up the stairs, wraith like tendrils of ghostly white wrapped around him. He cried out in warning, falling to the ground as something ghastly and evil pushed through him and took his life.

And his cry echoed deep into the temple, his voice taking news of his King's life to Bakura. The maniacal thief, however, was all too happy to greet the Pharaoh with a menacing, "Come in, "Your Highness!" This is the temple of the _dead_!" A laugh accompanied his mocking question of, "Do you want the Pendant that now hangs around my neck back?"

From above the trapdoor that fed into darkness, Shada pushed his King away, "You cannot fight without your Millennium Item!"

But Atem did not hear his warning…his mind was years in the past…

_His father knelt down beside him, looping the leather thong of the Millennium Puzzle around his neck and placing his hand on his shoulder. His smile was kind as he looked down on his only son and his heir to the throne of Egypt. _

_ "Atem, never turn your back on what you believe is right." _

The cries of the soldiers below him jerked Atem back to reality and he pushed past his Priest and his friend and fell into the darkness below him. He would reclaim what was his with his bare hands if he needed to.

As he landed, a guard lifted his hand weakly from the floor, trying still to guard the defenseless Pharaoh. Atem pulled him up, telling him to hang on as he passed him to Shada. And then he turned his murderous gaze on Bakura with a cry of rage.

"Calm down," Bakura sniffed, "And look at this." He motioned to a tablet, wrought with indentations to fit the Seven Sennen Items…it was the same tablet that thousands of years in the future a lost spirit would present himself to in a quest for his memories…

But in the past yet the battle raged; Bakura's eyes suddenly veiled, "This is the _cursed _tablet that connects this world to the next. Do you know why it has places for the Millennium Items?" He didn't wait for a response before telling Atem, "This is where they were forged."

"Because of their desires for mysterious powers, the damn royal family used dark alchemy to forge the Millennium Items. And in doing so, the villagers of Kul Elna were massacred!"

As the shock came over Atem's face, Bakura added, "You can feel their hate…their unrest. Not until the royal family has been visited by the angel of revenge will they rest!" Bakura lifted the pendant from his chest mockingly, "Without this, you can't summon the gods. I don't even need Diabound. The ghosts will take care of you…TEAR HIM APART!"

His hate-filled cry swam around them as the silvery mists circled the Atem; white hot pain surged up his body and blood filled his mouth.

"Pharaoh!" Shada cried, trying to reach him; but by then, he himself has been surrounded.

"Their hate for Millennium Item holders is especially strong. Give in now!" Bakura sneered.

Atem was driven to his knees by the crushing evil bearing down on him. He felt his very soul being corroded as his body began to decay.

"These ghosts will crush you…you'll go mad and die! You'll wish that I had killed you before!" Bakura cried, his eyes welling with painful memories.

But Atem heard none of his words; his mind was trapped by the iron shackles of doubt. Could his father have done such horrible things? And his mind reached out into the afterlife in a desperate plea for clarity.

* * *

Nathifa felt something change in the air around her and she turned her head skyward to see a streak of light racing across the open sky. It disappeared past the horizon in a glorious flash of warm light and suddenly she felt a burden lift from her heart.

* * *

Bakura cried out in alarm as something else surrounded the Pharaoh and a warm, gold light filled the chambers. In a shockwave of power and speed, his ghost were repelled and in their place stood the Magus of Illusions…

Atem lifted his head wearily, aware only that his suffering had abated. He had not expected to see Mahado standing before him, his words echoing through his head and his heart.

_'My soul is your eternal servant, My Pharaoh!' _

TBC


	29. Egyptian Lotus Petal Nine

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Nine**_

_**Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

_**A/N: Please read and review! **_

Atem rose shakily on his feet as the swirling chaos of color died back to reveal Bakura's stunned face.

The Thief King took a step backward, startled by the appearance of the monster; without the Millennium Pendant, the Pharaoh shouldn't have been able to summon even a weak ka, let alone the Magus of Illusion. And that left only one, dangerous possibility: The soul of the magician had tied itself to the well-being of the Pharaoh.

As he looked on, the Mage of Mirages turned his eyes on the Pharaoh. His lips didn't move, but a voice sounded within the heart of the Pharaoh, "Stand, My Lord! I am here because of your determination! Without that will to fight, I will vanish."

Atem didn't know what to say…his will was wavering; what did it matter if the people fell? The very source of power he drew upon to protect them, the Millennium Pendent, could have been the product of evil magic and a twisted heart…How could he call that justice? How could he call upon his father for strength when it seemed impossible his father wasn't one of the villains who indulged the dark arts for his own selfish purposes.

'_I'm so confused…' _The Pharaoh admitted to himself, unaware that his heart was laid bare to the Magus.

_'My Lord, when I was alive, I sensed evil in the Millennium Ring and set out to learn the origins of the Sennen Items. I knew of the _atrocity _of Kul Elna. But the former king Akhenamkhanen did not know this truth.' _The figure of heka and light replied.

Atem looked up as his heart compelled him to soften.

The Magus continued, his eyes closed in heavy thought, _'The day after I became a Priest and sealed the evil thoughts of the Millennium Ring, I approached your father and I told him everything; your predecessor felt the same pain that you do in your heart…and that…that is why he fell ill and died…If I hadn't told him…' _The spirit of Mahado could not continue for a long moment, but then he said, _'Your father wanted a peaceful kingdom, my King, and you have inherited those intentions. If the Millennium Items fall into Bakura's hands, we shall be plunged body and soul into shadow. If you do not stand up to him, no one will.' _

Perhaps seeing his opening in the wavering of the Pharaoh's heart and his own, momentary inability to reconcile his tormented feelings, Bakura yelled, "I'll kill you as many times as it takes! Ghosts! Tear that magician and the Pharaoh to pieces!"

Atem closed his eyes, '_Thank you, Mahado.' _

He stood, his thoughts echoing across the plane of his heart and his mind; he was the Pharaoh and he would stand and fight! He rose to his feet, a radiant glow encompassing the Magician that stood at his ready.

The Magus extended his hand and a backlash of power destroyed the shades of malice and hate. Pleased with Bakura's disbelief, he told the Thief King, _'The evil in the Millennium Ring was much stronger than these spirits. Against my heka, you are completely powerless, Bakura!' _

For a moment, defeat flickered across the white-haired man's scarred visage…and then his featured pulled with insane laughter, "Then what about _my _spirit?"

Atem felt the walls pulse as the creature Diabound melded with them from the shadowy expanse of Bakura's soul. A dark power filled the chambers as an evil light surrounded the king of murderers, liars, and traitors.

The creature exploded in front of them, its gaping maw lined with rows of jagged fangs; its lower body coiled into a lethal, hissing snake and around it were built up plates of armor…It was a far more formidable foe than it had been…

_'It's become even more powerful after fighting the Gods…' _Atem felt uncertainty settle low in his abdomen.

"The Ring and the Pendant," Bakura sneered, "I'm not collecting them to ornament a stone tablet! By absorbing their evil, I can make my spirit beast evolve!"

The beast gave a bone-chilling roar as it eyed the Pharaoh and his party; It lurched forward, obviously readying itself for the charge.

"Mahado, look out!" Atem warned, "He can copy the abilities of those he fights!"

_'My technique…'_ The spirit trailed off as he positioned himself between his king and certain harm.

"And those of the God-beasts!" Bakura snapped.

A gold light suffused the creature and the air around them grew charged with electricity; there wasn't even time to cry out in alarm as Diabound unleashed the Lightning Force of the God-beast Ra upon them.

But Mahado just smirked, _'I should have told you, Bakura, that I have trained in the Afterworld and increased my heka!' _

He lifted his staff and an odd, black void rimmed with white flame opened up before him; it swallowed the attack entirely and then the hole spiraled in on itself and disappeared.

_'The energy sent into the Afterworld Warp,' _The Magus elaborated, _'Is ejected at another in space.' _

"Be careful; Diabound can walk through walls to evade direct attacks." Atem told him, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

_'In that case…' _A teeming mass of energy flared just behind Bakura and a flash of light and heat bore into the wall etched with hieroglyphics at his right.

But he was not fazed as he replied, "Too bad you _missed_."

"Did we?" Atem smirked as the pillar began to fall towards the stone tablet behind him; with no recourse, his desperation turned to insanity as he cried out of his beast to guard it.

Diabound flickered from the shadows; its tailed wrapped around the pillar and yanked it into the air. However, in giving the command, Bakura had left himself wide open: Diabound had nowhere to run-while holding the pillar, it couldn't take advantage of its ability to hide in the walls and was left defenseless. There was no place left to hide.

A blast of purple light emanated from the Mage's staff and struck Diabound with enough force to crack its skeletal armor. Below him, Bakura screamed and clasped his hand to his wounded eye.

"That stone tablet," Atem shouted in triumph, "Is your tombstone, Bakura!"

* * *

Nathifa lifted a chalice to her lips but she found her taste for even watered wine and bland food affected as of late. And even if she had been hungry there wasn't much time to allow for food or rest; her kingdom was in complete unrest.

Even without an outright declaration of the danger the Pharaoh was in, her people were feeling his absence deeply. And without the usual visibility of the Priests, their unrest was only beginning to deepen. She alone remained and as hard as she tried, much of work had to be private.

Though she saw as many people a day as she could, most of her duties took her well beyond their eyes and ears; without Atem to govern law, she had been forced into the position of judge and jury. And without the Priests, she didn't have information she required coming back to her in the quantity she needed to be able to determine things such as taxes and the prices for crops and goods at market. She was flying on less than a wing and a prayer.

Even with the comfort she had found in the sudden streak of golden light not more than an hour earlier and the comfort her faith in Isis brought, she was beginning to feel hopelessly out of her depth. There was so much that needed her immediate completion and she had no one to turn to for counsel.

_'I can't give up…not yet…not with so many people relying on me.' _She turned her resolute jade eyes to the open balcony.

It was a busy market day…the chances that anyone, even with the disquieting events surrounding them, was watching the palace very intently was small; her odds were good, she reasoned, of getting what she needed on her own.

She would have to make sure Atem never found out, though. He didn't like her to go out without a full guard if it could be helped. And as much as she protested the ring they formed around her, both literal and figurative, that cut her off from her people even when she stood amongst them, she was willing to relent on the matter…at least, most of the time…

But times were changing and she couldn't afford to abide the old rules if they would bring her empire crashing down.

She stood from her desk and pulled her plainest shawl from the chest at the foot of the bed she shared with her husband. Winding it several times around her hair, she secured the shock of color into a tight bun at the back of her head. Then she took a veil and pinned it up over her eyes, so that their shade would not betray her identity. And when at last she had shed the complicated woven garment around her body and replaced it with a faintly yellow linen, she slipped from her chambers, past the palace guards, and into the street.

Disappearing quickly into the crowd, she stopped only long enough to take a basket leaning against the side of the palace with her. Tucked under her arm, it could only serve to make her look less suspicious.

And, indeed, it seemed that she was passing well for a maid on her way out to the market to purchase food or bolts of fabric. To keep up the façade, she visited every stand, inquired about their prices, and selected something small. But it wasn't until she came to the fifth stand that she found what she was looking for.

The woman running her small section of market was selling quality linen; however, the prices she was asking were far from what the queen would have expected.

"Pardon, Matron, but may I inquire as to the cotton you use?" She asked, smiling.

"Now, my pretty, _that_ is a trade secret." The proprietor whispered conspiratorially with a wink, "But for you I might be inclined to speak on the matter."

"I wouldn't dare jeopardize such an establishment with that knowledge." Nathifa replied with a chuckle.

The woman laughed heartily before finally asking if there was anything in particular she was looking for.

"Why, yes, Matron, I am. I want to find some embroidered silk."

"Of what variety?"

"Something blue or red, if you have it." She responded.

"Something for a lover, perhaps?" The woman's eyes narrowed good-naturedly, "Ra knows you're attractive enough to have several."

"You flatter me." Nathifa replied even a blush tinted her cheeks.

"But women like you don't want many, now do you? Your heart belongs to one person, I'd imagine."

Unnerved by the depth of her analysis, the queen finally inquired, "How do you know that?"

"When you're as old as I am, you learn to read people." The matron replied matter-of-factly, "It's an acquired skill." And then, as if nothing else had occurred, she fold a swatch of deep blue fabric and passed it to her for inspection.

"Its quality is excellent." Nathifa remarked. The weave was so fine she could almost see through it-the sheerness was a clear indication of its worth. "How much?"

The price nearly made her choke; for cloth that good, and in the quantity she had requested, she should have been paying a small fortune. But the woman was charging the daily allowance of a slave girl!

"Tell me, Matron, how can that be?"

"Times are hard, my dear. It takes a little compromising to get by." The elder of the two shrugged.

"And…" Nathifa tried to word her question carefully. A slight verbal misstep could be considered outright treason and though she knew she was in no danger, she had no wish to imply that the woman was anything but a loyal citizen herself, "Is there more that could be done to ease them?"

The woman stopped and thought it over for a moment before responding, "I don't think so, my dear. Even with a great king, there will be trying times. In fact, it is those times that are most important."

"Do you mean to say that hardship makes good men and women?" Nathifa asked.

"No, it merely reveals them." She responded without hesitation.

"Thank you." Nathifa smiled as she laid a fair sum on the table.

Apparently mistaking her gratitude for the fabric instead of her words, the matron said, "Thank you, lovely, for your generosity."

* * *

"Mahado! He's injured! Quickly, strike him again!" Atem cried as the Thief King flinched away.

Bakura gave a low moan of agony before responding, "Impressive…you actually managed to strike my face…but…" He pulled his hand away from the bloody mess of his eye and gave a maniacal cackled, "It didn't hurt one bit!"

Refusing to be fazed, Mahado raised his staff and yelled, "You can't escape this one!"

Even as the attack was loosed, though, he realized something was wrong; Bakura's grin had only grown and his laughter increased.

"So you refuse to die, Magician? It is of no consequence for you cannot defeat me!" He cried.

With a cry of rage, Diabound's tail whipped up and around; the strength of its grasp shattered the stone pillar into a field of debris that took the brunt of the attack. From behind the dirty brown veil of matter, Atem could just make out Bakura's twisted face.

His dark voice echoed through the room, "You waste your heka! Diabound's rage will only increase!"

With a sick smirk, the white-haired man reached behind him and lifted something from the tablet, "It was a good idea; I will need this tablet to complete my contract with Zorc Necrophades. But Diabound can't protect it and fight you so…" He revealed the Millennium Puzzle in his calloused hands, "So I'll just use your item."

Atem's eyes went wide with horror and impotent rage as a massive creature comprised of what looked to be human bones appeared over the tablet; with its massive, dense shell guarding the tablet, there was nothing they could do to target it. Even worse was the fact that it had been summoned at all.

As Shada looked on, he couldn't help but think in amazement that even a Millennium Item wielder would have had trouble sustaining multiple ka. But for a singular thief to be managing just that feat, and with multiple Items, as well, was almost unthinkable.

It was almost as though Bakura could sense the man's thoughts for a moment later he turned and smirked, "Now I can annihilate you in comfort." His grin widened, "I'll activate his special ability Dark Camouflage."

Diabound gave a cry before it simply sunk into the ceiling and vanished from site; and now that the monstrosity was free to plot and plan, there was very little they could do.

The Thief King knew this, as well, and taunted them, "Now where could he be? Where will he attack from? You won't know until you're _dead_."

Shada and Atem pulled close behind Mahado for protection. The creature could have been anywhere: the walls, the floor, the ceiling…it could very well spring up between them and render them in half before they realized it was there at all…

But even as that thought crossed the Pharaoh's mind, Shada raised his Millennium Key and cried, "I offer my heka to summon a creature: Two-Headed Jackal Warrior."

The white-haired, scarred man looked at him with a silent, mocking question. What good would it do him?

And Shada called his wordless bluff, "And I'll use his astounding sense of smell to locate your creature!"

With a low growl, the ka turned its head to the left and wrinkled its nose. Pivoting hard on its foot, it flung a whip bearing a circular blade at the wall; but victory was hardly assured: As the vicious weapon neared the monster, Diabound's arm shot from the wall and captured it.

"Just because you can find him doesn't mean you can stop him!" Bakura smirked.

Using the chain as its counterbalance, the massive creature pulled itself from the wall and exposed its horrific head to them.

Seeing his chance, Atem cried out, "Don't let him get away! Attack Diabound, Mahado!"

"Too late!" The thief cackled, "He's already in position to attack!"

A massive ball of hateful energy amassed itself with frightening speed in the monster's clawed hand. The Pharaoh did not see the same orb appear to his left from Diabound's other hand.

TBC


	30. Egyptian Lotus Petal Ten

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Ten**_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh! As for Haruno Lynn…you know the drill. **_

Bakura cried something Atem didn't register; he didn't even have time to fully come to terms with the fact that his life was going to end when Shada's voice suddenly pierced the time-slowed veil of reality.

"Jackal Warrior, defend the Pharaoh!"

In the same moment the monster dropped between him and certain death, Shada's arm came around him as his impetus forced them to the ground; blood shot from his mouth the impact jarred him.

"Shada!" Atem yelled.

"Please, My Pharaoh," He managed through his pain-labored breathing, "Run! Diabound has vanished again! He could strike at any moment!"

Rising to his feet, Atem stood before his fallen comrade, refusing to leave him or abandon his land to the clutches of a madman. A low growl caught in his throat as his ruby eyes narrowed and he ordered, "Mahado! Attack!"

Without question or hesitation, the Magus of Illusion lifted his staff and hundreds of orbs of shattering light suddenly danced around the room.

"Attacking blindly will not help you." Bakura advised him with an arrogantly cocked smile. His eyes drifted, though, just slightly to the left and behind the Pharaoh.

The King of Egypt did not realize it, but looming just behind him, flawlessly camouflaged against the backdrop of their surroundings, Diabound was waiting to strike; his claws were already caging the Pharaoh. It would take one singular swipe to finish it all…

"You think so?" He asked as light began to filter in through the destroyed ceiling, "I know where Diabound is."

Bakura took an instinctive step backward; his monster's Dark Camouflage was rendered useless by the light. He was a monster of the ebony abyss, unlike Ra, which thrived on light and the sun.

"Those attacks," Atem clarified, "Weren't blind. Mahado had you in our sights long before Diabound saw him."

There was no hesitation as the Dark Magician lifted his staff and unleashed another volley of strikes. Over the chaotic din of stone shattering and Diabound's anguished cry, he shouted, "Now, it's your turn to fade into the shadows, Bakura!"

Even as the Pharaoh's shout reached him, Bakura was stumbling back in agony, clutching his chest as blood poured from his mouth.

_'Is he dead?'_ Atem wondered privately as he waited for the dust to settle.

But as the hazy brown clouds settled, he realized nothing was further from the truth; before him, Bakura stumbled to his feet and sputtered, blood clogging his throat, "I see…his training in the Afterworld made the Magician more powerful. But not powerful enough to defeat me!"

The Thief King's fist clenched as his will rose up like venom in him: He _would _slaughter the Pharaoh and his insolent Priests and he _would _return the Sennen Item to the tablet and complete his contract with the Dark God. There was nothing that would stop him.

Taking a reactive step backwards, Atem couldn't help but cry out in disbelief, "Diabound has strength left, yet?"

"Some? _Some?_ Hardly!" Bakura screamed insanely, "I shall raise his power to the maximum! Ghosts of Kul Elna! Enter my body, grant me your strength!"

"What?" Atem gasped as the silver trails drifting around them swooped down on him and engulfed him in an unnatural light.

Diabound, once crippled and doubled over on the floor, suddenly reared up as power conflagrated around it; it's power washed over them like a typhoon of malice.

"The evil will dwelling in me," Bakura suddenly chuckled, "Will double Diabound's power!"

The creature hissed menacingly as its master yelled, "Send them to _hell!_"

Refusing to lose his head, Atem stood his ground and observed the immediate situation: Diabound wasn't even attempting to use his Dark Camouflage and Bakura was severely wounded. However, Mahado was growing weary…

Offering the only warning he could, the Pharaoh sent his knight into battle, _'Be careful, Mahado. He may have gained yet another power we don't know of.' _

Of course, Diabound couldn't use his cloaking abilities when direct light was present. However, with the sheer amount of power he had gained, he didn't need the advantage of surprise. He wasn't counting on one variable, however.

Mahado's speed was impressive. Realizing that waiting to defend might be a lethal decision, he sprang up at the monstrosity's face, staff in hand, and spun it around. Dozens of balls of concentrated power collided with the creature and it roared…but not in pain.

Even before the dust settled, Atem recognized the victory in its cry; it had repelled the blasts by wrapping itself with the aura of the ghosts it had absorbed…

"Your pathetic slave's attacks will not pass! Now, die!" Bakura screamed.

With no chance to evade, Mahado had time only to gasp as his own attack, the Spiral Wave, bore down on him from the fist of his opponent. The force of the blast slammed him into a column and he felt the physical manifestation of his internal organs shift painfully.

Below him, Atem collapsed to his knees as a spray of blood forced its way through his lips. But even as more life force slipped from him, his thoughts turned to his most loyal priest.

_'Mahado!' _

Bakura turned his lethal eyes to the Magician, "I'll clean up the pieces this time! You won't be returning to this world again!"

"Mahado!" Shada cried to the left.

If he died, he would take the Pharaoh with him into the afterlife. And even as that knowledge bit a deep whole into the heart of the Magician, his body refused to be moved. An orb of concentrated electricity grew in Diabound's fist as he loomed over the spirit and he prayed his living god, his king, might forgive his weakness.

Shada, in a moment of desperation, cried out that he offered his soul and his magic to summon.

But Bakura's voice suddenly cut his incantation, "Oh no, you don't!"

In tandem with his hate-filled voice came a whip of energy that surged right through the Priest's body and captured his Millennium Key. Brutally, it recoiled and the item sprang from his hand and flew into the Thief King's.

"I'll take that! The Third Treasure is mine!" He smirked as the priest fell. "Die, Magician!"

The attack was loosed and Mahado knew in his heart the end had come.

Smiling insanely, Bakura stepped forward to claim his ultimate prize-the head of the Pharaoh. Suddenly, though, he realized something…His body was not there…and the King drew breath still…

High above him, a flirty noise pierced the veil of battle, "Hang on, Master!"

"Mana…" Atem trailed off. When last he had seen her, there was no hope for her summoning a ka strong enough to lift the Dark Magician. And yet she had…

And with that momentary distraction, Bakura suddenly found himself surrounded by the Priests.

* * *

A sudden glimmer of gold light caught Nathifa's eye as she rose from her bed. As she drew nearer to the faint glow, she realized with a shock like adrenaline, what it was…

The pendent Atem had given her the day after he had made love to her. It was a woven chain of gold that clasped in a tight ring around her slender throat. Centered in a gold spiral at the core of the gold plait was a twist of pink opal and diamond…and she knew in the back were carved the hieroglyphs for the word 'precious.'

Tears came to her eyes as the knowledge that he was alive still flooded her. She took only a moment, though, to bask in her relief before she turned her eyes to the sky and fell to her knees in prayer.

* * *

_'I can hear you, Seto…I can feel you.' _Omorose thought as silver water drew opaque trails down her face.

Clutched in her palm was a smooth gem of the purest ruby; rounded along the outward face with the flat back against her hand, it was glowing with a metallic light that radiated warmth. She could even feel the uneven ridges in the gold frame that were the carvings to form the word 'fire.'

_"Like your hair and temper."_ She could hear him say those words in the back of her mind so clearly shivers passed down her spine.

"I won't give up on you, Seto." She whispered.

* * *

"Why, hello there. How lovely to see the priests."

Siamun ignored him completely, his wide eyes turned in teary joy to his Pharaoh, "Thank the gods, Pharaoh. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." His ruby eyes drifted to Shada, "But he is badly hurt."

"I'm alright." Shada hissed, waving them off. "If the priests don't focus their strength, Diabound's power will continue to grow unto the end of us all."

"The power of the Pharaoh and the five priests will be more than enough." Seto replied.

"No," Atem corrected him, his eyes darting up to the ceiling where his most faithful servant hung in a wreath of power, "Six priests."

With a small pull of his lips, the ethereal man told his apprentice, "To have been saved by you…you must have been training hard while I was away."

"Yes, Sir." She replied with a wink.

Whatever happiness might have been found in that moment, though, was interrupted by Bakura's caustic laughter: "You come to me with kingly gifts hanging around your necks; you've save me much trouble. With three of the Items in my possession, I shall destroy you all and the dark power shall be mine!"

"We're going to crush those foolish ambitions here and now!" Seto yelled back, raising the Millennium Rod high. "Get ready!"

Blood running from his wounds, clouding his vision and fouling his tongue, he just smiled; it was the priests who would be the lambs of his sacrifice.

In front of him, a ring of aura grew in a number of colors as the call to battle, to summon ka, was rung among them. But it was of no concern to him. Diabound, he knew, would crush them, push away the last obstacles…

"Hurry! Into formation!" Seto hissed, "Cut him off!"

They pressed in close around the Pharaoh, their bodies his shield and his sword. As he moved to push to the front of the lineup, though, Siamun stopped him, "You have fought enough, My King."

"But Mahado is badly wounded." Atem responded, unwilling to allow more death to pervade his kingdom or the ring of people closest to him.

"My King," Mana suddenly chimed through her spirit beast, "I am unable to fight. But I can lend my heka to my master!"

Mahado's eyes grew wide as her hand came up to his shoulder and new strength filtered in through him. And it was not her strength alone.

Somewhere in the flow of energy and the sudden exchange of power, he could feel a familiar, comforting presence that pulled, like an undercurrent, some piece of passionate resolve from him. For a long moment, he could not identify its warmth or its power and veracity.

The answer, when it came to him, filled him with hope.

It was Nathifa's.

* * *

Her lips moved in a breathless chant, her arms raised with blood running from her palms. She offered her life force and her prayers and her devotion to her goddess. Around her, a halo of gold energy began to expand and filter into the high sky.

"If there is power yet in my body and in the blood of my people, Isis, I invoke it!" She cried.

* * *

"Attack in all four directions at once!" Seto said, his eyes darting behind him as he cursed their fortunes.

Akhenaden should have been among the small army gathered in the rotting remains of a forgotten village. He, however, was nowhere to be seen or felt…

Even as the attacks closed in around him, though, a shimmering gray barrier of energy slipped between him and certain harm.

"The ghosts are defending him!" Atem yelled in warning, intimately familiar with the technique.

But having seen it several times before, he could not reconcile the fact that the spirits of those still haunting the damned Kul Elna. Their malice and justified rage at the unceremonious, brutal end to their lives was understandable; even in that state, though, they should have felt the calming light of the priests calling them to the afterlife and refused to aid Bakura's insane agenda further.

"Your numbers matter not if you are weak!" The white haired man yelled as Spiria sustained a savage blow to its chest that left Isis stumbling and gasping for breath.

* * *

Akhenaden tried desperately to stop the shuffle of his feet down the cracked stone stairs that led into the dark oblivion. Power beyond his control or mere comprehension pulled him further and further even as the physically sickening memories of what happened so many years ago in the abandoned village rose up like bile in his mind.

He blinked once as the air around him began to wobble and shift and suddenly he was surrounded by deadly miasma in bent caricatures of humans rose up. They grabbed at his robes, some begging for release and others screaming for revenge.

His cry, high and terrified, echoed around him, "Stay away! Stay away ghosts of Kul Elna!"

It was only the yell of his name by a guard that broke the illusion. Grateful and stunned, he turned from them and shifted slowly to the man.

For a moment, though, he wasn't looking at the palace guard…he was looking at the vague, glittering mirage of a woman turning away with a faint frown up on her lips, her red hair trailing away from her lithe figure.

* * *

Omorose rose from her kneel and sighed heavily; she had thought, for a time, she had sensed a darkness in Akhenaden, but her suspicions had never had substance. Or…not until she had allowed her spirit some release from her flesh in an attempt to regulate the tempestuous energy around the city.

Suddenly, she was far from her room and her candles and the sweet smell of Isis' favorite incense and the chants of her goddess' prayers. She was standing in a barren land walking through the thick black pitch left by an evil stain, like blood on white silk. And there was Akhenaden swimming in his own fear…his own sins…

"Seto…" She rested for a moment against the walls of her chambers and tried to remember his face. In doing, so, though, she found something she did not expect to find…

Seto and Akhenaden had very similar auras…

* * *

"Our attacks aren't working…" Seto hissed to himself.

"Not alone." Kalim replied, his eyes narrowed, "But my Millennium Scales allow me to combine two ka!"

"The power of unity," Atem smiled, "Is the true power of the Sennen Items."

Across time and space, he reached for his lover. For a long moment, he held to her golden glow as the spirit energy of two ka were mingled and changed and evolved and he reminded himself that there was someone waiting for him to come back home.

Mahado and the Duos fused in front of his ruby colored eyes and he watched and felt the sudden ripple of energy like a swell of ocean water. His chest rose with a deep breath, as though he could inhale that sense of light and power.

"This is your last battle, Bakura!" Seto cried, his furious eyes turned on the stunned Thief King.

TBC


	31. Egyptian Lotus Petal Eleven

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Eleven**_

_**Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

"You will never understand the unfailing strength of the Millennium Items, Bakura." Kalim told him, holding his Sennen Scale triumphantly before him.

"And with his fusion," Atem added, "Mahado's power also increases two-fold!"

"Mere weaklings trying to show off your new strengths," Bakura sneered, "Diabound _will _have his revenge."

"Here we come!" Seto yelled, unwilling to continue the banter with the Thief.

Their combined ka beast rose up before them and in unison they sounded for an attack; over the raging flames and the hiss of violently shifted air, they didn't hear his razor sharp analysis of the situation.

"I could block it with the rage of the ghosts of Kul Elna," He muttered, "But I shall meet your attack with one of my own! Spiral wave!"

In the same fraction of a second as his cry, their attacks met head on; flame and lightning mushroomed between them, threatening to burst into a conflagration that would consume them all. But it didn't; it hung in an eerie equivalency.

"They…are equal?" Atem gasped.

"Equal?" Pure insanity flashed in the Thief King's eyes, "If you're going to fuse your ka, I'll simply fuse my attacks!"

Diabound's other first came up and lightning twirled around the pillaring beam of fire and the balance between them began to tip; without further aid, the Duos Dragon would be forced back and into a corner…

With no time to think and barely enough to attack, Seto cried out, "Aura Sword!"

The blade of his creature swung up just as the dual attack was about to slam into them. The glassy surface pushed it back, but it would not hold for long and trying to direct the attack elsewhere would prove to have lethal consequences…

"Kalim, I'm going to sacrifice the right arm! At that moment, attack!" He yelled.

Before his companion could even acknowledge the plan, he lowered his guard and allowed the attack to breech his creature's arm; fiery agony snaked up his torso and he barely managed to croak the command, "Now!"

But even as the Dragon Flame of their monster snapped back into the fray, a silvery aura began to grow around Bakura's creature: the shield of ghosts he had used before. And even with their combined power, there was no penetrating his shield and that flames dissipated harmlessly.

His high, maniacal laugher rose through the chambers, "Weep, priests! Weep for your futile unity!"

_'Do not lose faith!' _Atem ordered through the link that bound them, through the golden string of their duties and their love, _'If our hearts remains as one, he cannot stop us.' _

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Bakura sneered, "You can't…"

He stopped short as something around his beast shifted and he saw the shield begin to warp. It was thinning and growing stretched and moving apart, literally melting…

_'How! The shield is fueled by their anger and hatred; it should be at its maximum in this moment!' _

"Just a little more…" Kalim whispered as he forced his energy out into the growing net between them, "A little more and we can break it."

"You think so?" Bakura's smile became oddly innocent…

And then a silver beam of light shot through Kalim's chest; his mouth opened in a wordless cry of pain as his knees caved beneath him. The string of malicious silver reeled around his Millennium Item and it snapped from his weakened grasp and into Bakura's first.

_'He…_' Kalim's thoughts broke as pain washed over him, _'Another ka…'_

Without his Millennium Item, without his concentrated power, their fused monster began to split at the seams and fell back to three separate summons; and without another item in his hands, he had even more power in his hands.

"Without these, your fusion is no more." He commented, his lips splitting in an evil grin.

Atem ignored him as he lifted his friend from the floor and cradled him against his chest, "Kalim!"

"Pha…raoh…" He gasped before his eyes slipped shut.

"Kalim!" The King of Egypt yelled, unwilling to lose another comrade.

"So much for unity and love! It's all over now and all I need to do is send you to hell one by one!" Bakura screamed.

"Is that what you think?" Atem hissed as he rose, his first clenched so tightly his fingernails drew blood.

"What do you mean, 'Great Pharaoh'?" Bakura smirked.

"Look behind you." He said simply.

Despite himself, the Thief King's eyes drew backwards and he saw a swirling vortex of vulnerability opening up on his Diabound's shield.

"It's eroding?" He yelled.

"The power of our unity punched right through it." Atem told him darkly, "And the Magus of Illusions has been waiting for a chance to chant his final spell."

A dash of silver and purple flickered from the shadows and sped right through the layer of weakness.

"Mahado, now!" Atem cried.

A brilliant sphere of dark magic spread from the tip of his staff and bit into the beast's chest.

_'Sleep in the darkness for a thousand years!' _Atem thought vengefully as Bakura screamed in agony.

The attack decimated the creature before the, engulfing it in hellfire; the Thief King's eyes began to dim as Death stepped up to greet him and receive his stained soul. But even as his eyesight began to fail him and the world around him blur with pain and shadows, his mind was set on his task.

_'I'll make sure you never draw breath again, Pharaoh. I'll steal the power of all the Millennium Items and the power of Darkness will be mine!' _

"It's no use…" Atem sighed sadly at him.

"Despite your best efforts, the Priests retain their Sennen Items." Seto added, his eyes cold and hard.

They did not see Akhenaden come up behind him, or the halo of darkness that engulfed him. But before their eyes, Bakura's body began to disintegrate into sand and a fearsome wind howled through the chambers, blowing his remains away. And he was not the only one…Kalim was beginning to fade away as well, turning into…white particles…

"What on earth?" He cried out, alarmed.

"When a piece dies, they turn to sand, _Pharaoh…_Those are the rules of the game!"

Atem looked up at a figure that bore a startling resemblance to the Thief King…and somewhere in the back of his mind memories of the past and memories of a far distant future collide and melded and he suddenly realized…

He was a different man in a different place reliving a set of memories that weren't entirely his…

"Bakura!" He cried, sounding far more like a man who shouldn't have even been born yet with the name The King of Games. "You mean they turn into sand because they aren't real?"

"That is far from the strangest thing happening around you!" He chuckled darkly, "Look!"

Atem's eyes drifted back behind him and he realized that they had all stopped…no one was moving…at all…Time was frozen heavily around them…And suddenly his mind was changing and the past and a distant future were colliding painfully and melding and he _remembered_. He was not a Pharaoh…he was the darkness of a boy called Yugi…And then the picture of a beautiful woman bearing a striking resemblance to Nathifa rose in his mind…And something flickered in the corner of his eye…

All except for Akhendan…who walked towards him with malice intent and a grip of gold in his hand…the Millennium Items…

"Pharaoh, your time has finally come!" He chuckled in a deep baritone that was nothing like the aged man Atem knew.

"What are you doing?" He demanded, trying to take a step forward only to find himself frozen in place.

_'The Dark Lord, Zorc Necrophades, has stopped time,' _Bakura thought maliciously to himself, _'Only Akhenaden can move.' _

Atem watched helplessly as the priest mumbled something to himself and then brought his hand to his eye. In a moment of sheer masochism, he ripped the Millennium Eye free from his skull in a spray of bright red blood.

"Now, Akhenaden, place the Items on the tablet and become our key to victory." Bakura said smoothly as he glanced at the Pharaoh, "Your memories are being manipulated; you are only one small piece in this world."

"Everything you do in this world, all these memories, are part of an alternate reality. A Shadow Game. And the other pieces in this world have no idea. They are memories with no consciousness."

Before he could respond, the world around him began to shift and change and suddenly his eyes snapped open and he was sitting in front of a massive game board; his purple eyes flickered to the man in front of him…

"Bakura…" Yami trailed off as reality set in. "I will finish you!"

TBC


	32. Egyptian Lotus Petal Twelve

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Twelve**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh!**_

Bakura sneered unpleasantly and said simply, "This is the ultimate role-playing game…the ultimate Shadow Game."

The setting of the ancient world had been perfectly replicated to the smallest detail, done over many hours with the Thief King's memories and Ryo's hands. But none of it would have been possible without the Millennium Items.

They were eternal _and _evolving: they were the vessels for memories and even as the modern world sped rapidly around them; the power had been loosed and those images and events, tucked away for so long in their complex secret chambers, had been set free on the board in front of them.

'And only one can survive this conflict of Light and Dark.' Bakura thought to himself as his eyes drifted towards the man in front of him.

Yami met his stare evenly, his eyes betraying none of his own thoughts, 'This was his trap all along…In the museum with my friend when I presented the God cards as tribute, my soul was separated from Yugi's body…' He glanced down at his hands, the edge of his deck visible through his transparent hand, 'And brought here…but where is here?'

As if reading his thoughts, Bakura broke in, "We're still in Egypt, of course. But none of this would have been possible without Ryo's hard work."

Yami's eyes narrowed and his breathing pitched as he demanded, "You…you and that damned Ring; how long will you abuse Ryo before you're satisfied?"

Changing the subject, Bakura added bemusedly, "Do you remember the last time we played a game?"

"Yes," Yami replied, "And I remember that _we_ crushed you."

Neither acknowledging nor denying the statement, Bakura said, "This will be simple. You do remember how I _trapped _them, don't you? Look! Over there!"

Shock passed over Yami's face and, before he could help himself, he had turned to follow the line of his finger.

His friends lay in coffins behind them, motionless and with closed eyes…

Yami couldn't wholly suppress his cry of alarm and grief; but Bakura wanted him to know how much worse it was going to get.

"Those are just soulless vessels lying in those coffins." He laughed, "Their souls are somewhere in the Millennium Puzzle, wandering without aim. Really, it's quite impressive that they transcended the Sennen Items to reveal their secrets…to try and find you."

"BAKURA!" Yami roared, his fist clenched so tightly that his nails drew blood.

Bakura just smirked, "It's up to you to enter this world and save them. You alone; I, however, have my assistant, my loyal aid in my endeavors: Zorc Necrophades."

The white-haired male suddenly motioned to something behind him; a coffin, propped upright with chains behind his chair, was a mummy…

"This is Priest Akhenaden." He said, "Now, this game may be a simulation but he did in fact place the Millennium Items in that tablet three-thousand years ago and become the priest of Darkness."

"Shut up and play." Yami hissed.

"Oh, but we haven't even started to scratch the surface of the collateral I hold against you." Bakura replied.

"What else could you possibly have?" Yami spat prematurely with a self-confident smirk, "You've shown me your hand."

The parasitic entity of the Ring threw his head back and laughed maniacally, "What do you think Sakura is doing at this moment?"

Yami was thrown off kilter by that comment; he had tried hard not to think of her because when he did he had the image of her beautiful face warped with grief, tears running down her pale cheeks, and a dusting of red around her eyes and the bridge of her nose from too many hours spent weeping.

"If you value your despicable life, you'll hold your forked tongue." Yami snapped; he was coming dangerously close to injuring Ryo for the purpose of hurting the second soul that held him hostage.

Bakura gave no sign he heard the implicit threat, "Her soul has been wandering for a few hours now; it seems she couldn't entirely escape the pull of her ancient past. She was drawn to you, to your side, and her body has been lying cold for sometime in Domino."

"You bastard!" Yami shouted, rising from his end of the table.

"I'm not the one who left her to flounder in the Shadows." Bakura responded with a mean smirk.

The King of Games felt his strength drain away and wisely sat down before his knees gave. His resolution, however, was not dimmed, "I will defeat you."

"Then let me explain the game: You are represented by the Pharaoh card. The deck in front of you holds forty blank cards. To summon something, you merely need to think of that person; the gauge beneath them displays their ba. Should it drop to zero, they die. There are also seven Sennen Item cards. They began in your possession but now…" He smirked, "They're in Akhenaden's hand now."

His eyes widened insanely, "It's time to resurrect the God of Decay! The Deity of Destruction! Zorc Necrophades!"

'Here he comes!' Yami thought to himself as the board exploded in an eerie light.

Bakura's voice cut his thoughts, "As the game progresses, memories will return to you. But in this end, this game will only serve to destroy you."

"I have more to lose than you do, Bakura." Yami told his evenly, "And that's why I _will _win."

Yami's eyes fell to the board, where his figures flinched back as the god rose from the tablet; it seemed when they weren't in his control, they behaved as their personal motivations and historical facts would have had them.

The ghastly creature that had risen and now threatened to consume the board unleashed a vicious hiss, "Who dared awaken me and demand my powers?"

Akhenaden fell to his knees and whispered reverently, "I do."

"Using the Seven Sennen Items, you opened the door of darkness and set my powers free. Now the heavens will blacken and the earth will tremble from my might. A beat of my wings unleashes the winds of death and my breath brings pestilence and plague. And this is the power you seek?"

The Pharaoh cried out from the diorama, "No!"

But the priest was already speaking, "Yes."

The Pharaoh's thoughts and Yami's thoughts began to mingle as he looked down on the scene. He knew that unleashing that power would mean death for his people…for Nathifa…Yami shook his head, unwilling to be drawn back in so wholly into the realm Bakura had crafted.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself that though her soul was wandering, her body was safe. All he needed to do was reunite them-and that meant he had no choice but to fight.

"Do you intend to interrupt Zorc before he finishes speaking? This is a table top RPG, after all…"

His hand came down and he rapidly drew a card; in no mood to humor the thief, he roared, "By Imperial Decree of the Pharaoh, I command the priests to attack!"

Bakura nodded understandingly, "All right. You can use the ka cards in battle if there is even ba remaining. And you can declare an Imperial Decree attack when it isn't your turn, five times per game. But you can't do it now."

"What?" He demanded.

"You can't move. The Pharaoh and the priests have all been paralyzed for several rounds."

"How?" He demanded, frustration making his temper short.

"Like you, I have a special ability I can use three times per game." He motioned vaguely to a line of three hourglasses beside him, "The power of time control from the sleeping Zorc. I just placed the second glass on its side, stopping time. And I intend to do more: Now Zorc and Akhenaden share a soul."

Yami growled; he wasn't sure of the immediate repercussions, but Bakura was nothing if not cunning…

And with his figure paralyzed and his only aid incapacitated, he knew he was in trouble. His eyes darted back down to the board and he listened as Zorc addressed the priest with a foreign fondness, "I knew you couldn't resist signing the Dark Contract. After all, the Millennium Items were your handy work."

"It was all according to your will!" Akhenaden replied fervently.

"First, you used the stone tablet to get the power of the monsters. With that power in your hands, you congregated with demons and became filled with angry ambition. I always knew you would collect the Sennen Items and awaken my dark powers. Now, Akhenaden, I bestow my evil power upon you! Serve my soul so that we may rule this world!"

Bakura's voice cut the action and he sneered, "At this moment, he becomes the Priest of Darkness; he gains the skills of the Dark Magician and levels up!"

Yami thought of a million curses in the languages he knew, even though his tongue was frozen.

"My two cards are at maximum ba now." Bakura stated as he glanced at the board, "But your units have taken a ton of damage. There's no way even you can beat these odds."

Yami knew it was over…or, at least until the white-haired male sniffed and said, "But a one sided game is no fun. So here are some instructions: In this game, there are NPC's-non-player controlled characters-who move without our will. The villagers or the guards who aren't with the Pharaoh, for example; and, of course, your friends. They are strangers who entered the game without permission, but may yet be your key to victory."

Yami hesitated; Bakura wouldn't have told him about that advantage unless the potential benefits outweighed the great risk…And then he remembered that they had promised to help him find his true name…

Bakura, however, had other thoughts; he knew it was likely too late to help them with Zorc having already been unleashed. He just needed to manipulate his opponent in the right way…There was one figure in the game that might help them: Hasan, the eternal keeper of the memories of the puzzle…but that was unlikely and the final battle was about to begin.

"Shall we, Pharaoh?" Bakura smirked.

Yami's eyes darted down to the palace and he watched as the tiny figure of Nathifa leaned against the railing of the palace balcony and turned her gaze towards the darkening sky. Her eyes, distant and tiny as they were to him, were troubled and he could see Sakura's face turned in the same way…her bottom lip being draw through her teeth as she tried to think up a solution…

"Let's." He said finally, turning his face up.

* * *

"Bobasa…" Yugi trailed off as his friend disappeared behind a golden glow to reveal a plated warrior…

"When the evil god Zorc Necrophades rises from his dark slumber, I can reveal the hiding place of the Pharaoh's name. _That _is my sacred duty. I am Hasan, the Guardian of Names."

"So where is it?" Joey demanded.

"The Holy Place where he sleeps." Hasan responded.

"His…tomb…?" Yugi offered.

"But he's still alive!" Joey protested.

Sighing, Teá replied, "Joey, they built them while they were still on the throne! But we don't have time for a history lesson!"

"So, the Valley of Kings!" Yugi exclaimed, "That's where it has to be!"

"But only you four may enter. You _must _find his name!"

"Got it!" Yugi responded, expecting further direction.

Instead, Hasan kicked off the ground and disappeared high into the sky, trailing gold behind him.

Falling back instinctively on the lay of the land he had gotten, Yugi shouted, "Come on! The Valley is on the other side of the Nile!"

He had already started to suspect the world they had been submerged in was a game…but this would definitely prove it…He kicked off the ground, his friends alarmed shouts behind him.

* * *

His figure paralyzed, Yami could only look on as the dark god rose from the ground. The creature loomed above his representative piece, howling, "Your ashes will be scattered in hell!"

'How can I dodge?' He wondered, his eyes darting around.

The priests were too close to the Pharaoh, a tactical error on his part. Normally, one attack wouldn't have been able to kill them all, but at that proximity…

Akhenaden hissed from the board, "You can't even open your mouth to beg for mercy."

The god's hands came together, forming a ball of fire as his 'priest' screamed at him to die, to agonize and burn.

"Game over!" Bakura shouted from across the board, "This attack will finish you!"

"NEVER!" He roared back, "This round will be your undoing!"

'How?' Bakura wondered, snipping out loud, "You have no more moves!"

"This is a table-top RPG! And that means our _words _can be weapons!" He shouted, pointing to the corpse behind the white-haired male, "You said that mummy is involved in the game…that he is joined with Zorc."

The King of Games held up a card that bore a startling likeness to Seto Kaiba.

"So…you're going to use that card as a shield?" Bakura asked himself thoughtfully, "We both know the back-stories of the characters…Such as the relationship between Akhenaden and Seto."

"Exactly." Yami responded, sweat beading invisibly beneath his jacket. It was a gamble.

"If Zorc attacks now, he'll end Seto's life…" Bakura trailed off.

"And because your Priest is fused with Zorc, you must stop him. After all, he's Seto's _father_."

"And if I choose not to attack, would you give me that card?" Bakura asked, placing a bet on his own game.

"Never. Seto is a part of my team." Yami retaliated.

Bakura gave an insipid chuckle, "I'm the one controlling Zorc Necrophades! ME! BAKURA!"

'Damn it…' Yami thought.

"Akhenaden, Priest of Darkness, this contract forever binds you! Your child is no use to you anymore! Kill him and the Pharaoh! Your turn is over! ATTACK, ZORC!"

The fireball was unleashed and spiraled around the figures…and was suddenly cut and dispersed along the sides. Shocked, Yami could only collapse back in his chair and think, 'The attack is being repelled…'

The light dimmed just enough for him to make out a vaguely familiar visage…it seemed the same one…that voice he hadn't listened to really but the aura that had called him from the caves…

Bakura hissed to himself, 'A Phantom NPC!'

In much the same way a computer could randomly generate new sequences of codes, the game was its own entity. It was driven by forces far more ancient than the past being played out on the diorama in front of them…

It was a possibility he had not foreseen…

* * *

"So we can fly in this world?" Teá screamed, trying to keep her skirt down.

"Basically, it's a game." Yugi called back over his shoulder as the entrance to the Valley grew in front of him, "We're not bound by the same laws we are in the real world."

"Like the laws of physics!" Tristan cried.

"Basically." Yugi responded, his thoughts elsewhere.

Because somewhere in the Valley stretching before him was his partner's name.

TBC


	33. Egyptian Lotus Petal Thirteen

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Thirteen**_

_**Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it! Except, of course, for my bestie, who owns Lynn and Omorose. **_

Yami didn't know that his friends were, as he verbally sparred with Bakura, searching the depths of the Shadow Game itself to pull his name from the cryptic ruins. He was only aware of the singular golden blur that had cut the attack and, by his exclamation, Bakura was no less startled.

"My attack shouldn't be deflected like that!" He screeched, demanding a moment later who the phantom NPC was.

"My name is Hasan, and I am the Spirit of the Tablet!" He responded as the flames dissipated around him. "As Zorc is tied to your evil will, I am bound to protect the Pharaoh! _That _is my sacred duty!"

The evil god sneered, "There is no spirit in this world that can withstand me! I am the ruler of hell itself! Quake in fear, you fools!"

The flames were increased tenfold and Yami, as he watched, could feel his skin burning as the figurine below him fought to endure. But he let no sign of his suffering, internal or external, show on his face because he knew the end was near: Zorc was a god, but he wasn't limitless. The attack he had loosed was going to be a drain on his ba, preventing him from maintaining the time freeze.

There was one serious problem, though…he and all the priests were badly wounded and had all but outright exhausted their ba. He wasn't sure that even without the time freeze he would be able to rally a counter-offensive…

Or he wasn't until he remembered that Yugi and his friends were somewhere in the game itself…

Bakura suddenly clicked his tongue and turned his mean gaze up, "It seems you've gotten inside information. Even I hadn't foreseen that the game would generate a phantom NPC who would know where you true name was."

"My name?" Yami shouted, feeling rage build back.

"Yes…they should be getting there any moment now." Bakura sneered.

"How do you know that?" Yami demanded, "Even that NPC didn't know where they were!"

"I have a spy in the game. A piece of my soul injected into the fold of the Shadow Game. He's preparing your friends' graves as we speak."

Yami eyes narrowed dangerously and he barely managed to stop himself from ripping the Thief King's soul out of his host body.

"And after that he'll go and find that pretty little jewel of yours and show her the meaning of loneliness."

"BAKURA!" Yami roared.

"Don't worry, you'll join them soon enough! I'll destroy anything that stands in Zorc's way, including you and that phantom NPC!"

* * *

'The…tomb…' Yugi thought to himself; the entire scene was so surreal and captured in such vivid detail that he wondered if he wasn't hallucinating. It looked exactly like a picture taken from the ancient world, right down to the dress and demeanor of the guards.

"Hey…even the guards are frozen." Tristan said, waving his hand in the face of one.

"Alright, let's go then!" The short, spiky-haired male responded.

The first steps were hesitant; even with the torches, it was dark and seemed dangerous. But once they got moving, they remembered their mission and refused to be stopped by the fear even though the architecture made them pause.

There were literally millions of hieroglyphs cut into the stone in perfect lines with beautiful curves…it was definitely intended for a Pharaoh…But Yugi couldn't help but think it was lonely to be so closed away from the world even in death…It pained him to think that his friend's body had ever been shut up like an expensive jewel away from everything he loved…

He swallowed his feelings as the door suddenly opened up into an intricate maze that had been built above a sheer drop into darkness for who knew how far…The pathways that rose up had a number of stone guards and the ground was tracked…

"Stop guys!" Yugi cried, remembering that his grandfather had faced a similar trap in his youth when he was hunting for the puzzle, "This doesn't look right."

"That's no big deal!" Joey responded, running and leaping.

It was only a reactive group reflex that saved him: their hands shot down, capturing his jacket as gravity snapped a hold of him.

"We can't fly in the dungeon, Joey!" Yugi sighed; there were rules to the game and if it was a Shadow Game, they weren't simple ones, either.

"You could have told me!" He protested as he was dragged back onto the ledge.

"Either way," Yugi responded, "If time is stopped right now, it should be safe to pass."

He took a tentative step forward onto the track and was relieved to see that nothing moved. His friend filed in behind him and they started moving.

They had to go in a single line; the ledge was just too narrow for anything else. That didn't mean he liked the way it exposed them, though…he felt like their backs were unguarded. But those thoughts were quickly pushed away when he saw something glitter familiarly at his feet.

He bent and picked it up, a tendril of fear racing down his spine when he realized it was a Duel Monsters card…someone else…or something…was in the game and far ahead of them…

"Come on," He said, "Someone's here ahead of us."

He continued walking towards the opening in the opposite wall despite the cold sweat growing on his arms. Ahead of them, he was sure he heard someone laugh and say they wanted to play a game.

* * *

"DIE!" Zorc cried as the flames pushed Hasan away.

Still frozen by Bakura's odd power in the game, the Atem character could only cry out and ask if he was alright. The man, however, gave no indication one way or another. He was too focused on the time that had passed and the amount of ba he had forced the creature to use.

After all…he had promised the former Pharaoh he would guard his son unto his dying breath…

"My…father…"

"He knew the terrible power of the Millennium Items and, before he died, sealed a piece of his very soul into the tablet. It was the Pharaoh's Tablet of Memories."

Atem felt his heart sink a little further—that his father should sacrifice so much for the kingdom, for him and that it should still have come to where they were…

Zorc's caustic voice suddenly cut the air around them and Atem's eyes shot up to him, "You, the one who dared to defend the Pharaoh, to be able to withstand the flames of Hell itself-you must truly be otherworldly."

"As long as your shadow extends into our world, mine will be there to counter it." Hasan responded simply.

"A shadow? How easy to abolish!"

"Shadows…they can only fade."

Akhenaden's voice carried a hint of a smirk, "I've inherited Zorc's power and that makes me more than a mere shadow: I am a reflection! And, as such, can I not be more than any mere shadow could be."

"Akhenaden!" Atem shouted, anger rising up, "Why did you sell your soul to the darkness?"

"Pharaoh, you were a living god to the people. You held the power of the gods…and yet with all that power you failed to see into the shadows; to the power that even the gods can't touch!"

The air suddenly exploded with purple bolts of electricity and high above them Yami flinched as vicious pain filled his body. His eyes, glazed with pain and his vision growing fuzzy at the edges, as he watched his figure drop to its knees. Akhenaden's hatred-spiked voice rose disproportionately from the board as he ordered the death of the Pharaoh, the very end of his lineage, and the obliteration of so much as his father's name.

A crimson pillar of fire erupted from his hands and Atem saw his life flash before his eyes and Yami, as his vision bleached to white, thought he smelled cherry blossoms in the background and the lilt of a soft voice…

And then, suddenly, it was clear and he was looking down at Mahado and the swirling vortex in front of him that was directing the attack to another dimension. The relief, the shock, was so great that it wasn't until Yami heard the Magician inform him that time was moving again that he dared to even think of his next move.

The priest figures behind the Pharaoh came to life and cried out in alarm as the god—summoned as they stood frozen and helpless—bore down on them like a terrible nightmare. But despite their fear, they hefted their Items and set their faces and minds.

"So…you fools dare to challenge me in this time of dying? When my powers flourish in the darkness? You will never prevail!"

"You're wrong." Atem told him resolutely, "We have the power to end this evil time!"

"Impossible," Akehenaden pumped his fist, shadows swirling around him, "You can't defeat us."

And, hearing those words, Seto felt something akin to pain throb in his chest…

Hasan ignored all around him, all the tumultuous, roiling, heavy emotions that came not only from the living but from the dead as he told the Pharaoh, "His darkness is nearly limitless. There is only one way to stand against it…The lost piece…Your lost name."

"My friends…" Yami whispered, searching the board vainly with his eyes to try and find them among the thousands of shifting pieces. The helpless he felt was crushing: his love and his friends were wandering in a world of darkness and he didn't have so much the comfort of their voices calling to him from the border of the Shadow Realm.

* * *

"What the hell is going on?" Joey cried as he flung himself under an ax.

They had been more than halfway through the odd maze when the stone soldiers suddenly came to life and viciously started in on them, as if hungry for fresh, hot blood.

"Time must have started again!" Yugi cried as he raced along the narrow paths—he knew it was a statement that was stupidly obvious, but in his panic, it had just slipped.

The only good part about the entire fiasco is that they had been near the end and had managed to get past the automated guards. The bad news, however, was that they still had a very, very long way to go and that could only mean more traps…

"Well…we can't stop now." He replied when Joey voiced the same concern.

So they crossed another stone bridge, traveled down the corridor, and, to their mutual shock and disgust, came face to face with an all too familiar sneer.

"I've been waiting for you."

"What are you doing here?" Yugi cried, his face darkening.

He didn't respond as he motioned over his shoulder, "You're searching for the Pharaoh's name. It seems to be somewhere back there…I can feel it. But I can't let you find it. You're going to have to defeat me first."

He raised his arm and the skin and muscle shifted, forcing a duel disk up from the flesh.

Reigning in his disgust, Yugi reminded himself that the world around them could be, to some extent, crafted by his thoughts. So he focused on making the same disk, remembering each card in his deck, and allowed his body to shift under the weight of his will.

"This is real. We each have four thousand life points and when you lose them, you die."

Yugi narrowed his eyes. He never had any doubt it would be a lethal Shadow Game. But he didn't have the option of backing down and, after all the times the Pharaoh put his own soul on the line, he couldn't let someone else do it.

"You can't do this!" Joey cried, trying to push in front of him.

"It'll be alright." He replied, stepping forward, "This is my fight."

As per the unwritten laws of the Shadows, Bakura elaborated on the game: "We each have forty cards that we've imagined. But they will be shuffled and randomized so that we don't know what order they're in."

Yugi didn't respond as he drew a card; it was far from a perfect hand, but he did have one minor trump in his Marshmallon. Its special ability prevented another monster from destroying it and it gave him more time to put together a defense.

Bakura, his deck comprised of darkness attribute cards, summoned the Death Knight. Yugi, however, was too far away in his own mind to feel intimidation.

He felt a little off-balance without his other self there. And the more he thought about it, the more he was seeing it as a test of himself. And as much as he knew he had no option but victory, he was beginning to feel out of his depth…alone even surrounded by his friends.

He felt something very much like panic sink into his stomach when Joey commented from behind him that his monster had no chance…he felt so abandoned.

'Just hang on,' He told himself, 'I believe that I can beat him. I _will _find his true name. I _can _do this.' He chanted to himself as he drew another card.

His eyes drifted over the edge of his cards just as Bakura's Knight charged across the field with the vicious stamp of hooves set off by his malicious laughter.

Yugi just smiled to himself as the Knight slashed across his monster; like jelly, it popped back up and took shape again.

"Sorry, Bakura, your monster can't hurt it." He said.

The man's dark eyes just narrowed as he considered a trap card. His annoyance was high with all the interference of his plans and, though normally he would have liked to toy with his prey, he simply wanted to end the seemingly pathetic show of strength and move on.

"I set one card face down." He said simply, switching control to Yugi.

"My turn…" Yugi said simply as he mirrored the thief king's face down maneuver before summoning his Level 0 Silent Swordsman in attack mode. It was a risky move, considering his attack strength, but it was a chance he needed to take.

He was too focused on his hand to notice the subtle shift in attitude behind him.

"I've never seen that card before…"Joey commented.

"That deck is different than the one Yami uses," Teá said, "Yugi built it himself."

She felt a pang of guilt for not considering that Yugi was coming into his own. She had always, to some degree, seen him as an extension of Yami and vice versa. She had a hard time making them into two separate people because…that would have meant she would have to choose between them.

Her eyes darted up to Bakura and she sighed; there would be time to sort herself out later, she told herself, and she needed to be patient.

The thief king, in the meantime, processed his own thoughts. The monster was weak and annoying: It would raise its attack every turn. But with such a massive span in strength between his Knight and the Swordsman, he knew the only reason Yugi would play such a dicey hand was if he _wanted _him to attack and activate his face down cards…

But it was easy enough to get around that…

"I play the Trap Charm on my Knight" He said. The card would block all trap effects and allow him to attack…

Or so he thought…

"Too bad those aren't trap cards." Yugi yelled as the card Marshmallon Glasses flipped up. "A monster equipped will attack only Marshmallon."

The Knight, in mid-charge, spun itself around and slammed harmlessly into the blob of gel.

"Great job!" His friend chorused in the background.

The Thief, however, was far less amused. Disgusted that such a weak combination had side-tracked him, he silently vowed that he would defeat the tiny man in front of him, kill him, and then take his time with his friends.

"I play one card face down and end my turn." He said simply.

"My turn, then." Yugi said; his Swordsman's attack would go up by five hundred points, but he knew he'd need one more round before he could attack Bakura's.

His hand came down on his deck and even before the card began to slip upward, Bakura cried out, "Stop right there! The moment you enter the battle phase of your turn, I can use this: the trap Ghost Reckoning and it forces your Silent Swordsman to attack!"

"I use the sp…"

'Don't do it.'

His eyes widened as a voice floated across his mind, 'L—Lynn?' He could feel her hand faintly on his shoulder and her breath against his ear as clearly as if it had been Yami's…He stiffened, uncertainty stilling his tongue. 'What…are you?'

'Don't do it!' She insisted before he felt her fade away.

His hesitancy saved him as Bakura flipped another trap card up and he realized, in that moment, if he had acted, he would have lost the duel…

A summoning appeared on the field, yielding the Death Spirit of Zoma—it was a devastating combination and Joey yelled in panic, "Yugi you can't let this happen!"

The Silent Swordsman attack would be bounced back to his side of the field and he would take double the damage. With his monster's attack 1500, he would lose three quarters of his Life Points.

But it was too late to stop it; his creature transformed into an ectoplasm and sprang back at him like a poisonous miasma. A massive set of jagged jaws spilled from the fluid and bore down on him, its growl drowned out by Teá's scream.

Yugi's arm spread out and his cry of "Activate!" went unnoticed until the jaws crashed down on him and disappeared.

"I use the spell card Turn Jump." He stated resolutely, no sign of fear on his face. "Our turns are advances three rounds, neutralizing your ectoplasm and boosting my Swordsman to Level 4 and increasing his attack to 3000 points!"

The Swordsman leapt into the air in a flash of silver and motion, cutting through the Death Knight and carving a hefty chunk from the fiend's life points, cutting them down to 2900.

Dumbstruck, all Joey could think was, "He's gotten strong…"

Teá, seeing the shock on her friends' faces and feeling it on her own, commented to herself, 'All that silence…all those times he didn't say anything…it's all been for this…so he could get stronger on his own power…'

TBC


	34. Egyptian Lotus Petal Fourteen

**_Egyptian Lotus Part Fourteen_**

**_Disclaimer: Umm…do we just know by now that I own nothing and Tiff only owns Lynn Haruno? Yes? Great!_**

With Bakura's only defense decimated, Yugi pounced with both of his monsters to take a sizable chunk from his Life Points.

The white-haired thief growled to himself as he endured the blows; he couldn't begin to fathom why a mere vessel would work so hard. The darkness had taken from him a large part of his life, invaded his mind, and fed off of him like a parasite. So why would he work so hard to save a Pharaoh would should have died thousands of years ago?

The tension was cut a moment later when Joey yelled, "Way to go! Bakura is screwed now!"

"Would you guys shut up?" Teá snapped, her gaze lethal.

He was working so hard…trying to be strong…and she wasn't going to allow them to ruin the sanctity of the moment-a moment Yugi had fought and bled for…the moment when Yami relied on him, when he could prove himself-with their useless chatter.

"What are you freaking about?" Joey asked, irritated, "His Life Points are still at one hundred percent!"

'Then, dude," Tristan cut in, "What is that look for?"

The air grew icy as evil emanated from the man in front of them; his maniacal laughter rose high into the chilly chambers.

"I see…so a vessel knows how to play cards, too?" He chuckled darkly, "Do you think you're special? Do you think your pathetic friendship, your inconsequential skills, will save you from me?"

Yugi's eyes narrowed, grinding his jaw.

"Too bad for you," Bakura continued, his eyes widening insanely, "I'm a killer! I'm going to enjoy my _high_ as I watch you bleed to death. I'm going to have my way with the warm body of that bitch you call a friend. And then, when I'm free from my host's weak body, I'm going to take my time with Sakura and her sister. I'm going to make them _scream_ my name. I'm going to drink them _dry_."

"I won't let you!" Yugi snapped.

Bakura just smirked: _'In my world, I can bring horrors to the field that you can't begin to imagine.' _

"I play the spell card Accursed Necro Twins." He stated as two eerie dolls appeared on the field.

'I…don't know that card…' Yugi thought to himself as Bakura explained that they each chose one of two boxes; a red one, and a black one.

"One, will grant the player more Life Points…the other, a curse." He smirked.

Yugi's eyes darted back and forth between the two before he finally said, "I choose the red one."

"That means I get the black one." Bakura replied, "You chose wisely, Yugi. The red box grants you a permanent spell effect by which you gain two hundred Life Points for any card placed in either of our graveyards."

"And the black one?" Yugi gritted.

"For that, I thank you." He sneered. "You have abolished my graveyard."

An icy tendril of panic shot down Yugi's spine.

Teá, seeing him tense and feeling the change in him, asked, "What…does that mean? What does it mean that his graveyard is destroyed?"

There wasn't time for Joey to respond before a silvery miasma began to rise from the ground at Bakura's feet and take the shape of a monster…one that had already been destroyed.

"To answer your question, Teá, it means that my monsters come back as ghosts while my spell and trap cards return to my hand." His gaze slid over to Yugi and he crooned mockingly, "Don't be afraid, Yugi. They might be on the field, but they can't attack or defend. They're not dangerous."

The young man knew better than to trust the thief's word, but the dread-sensation in the pit of his stomach only confirmed his suspicions…Bakura was up to something…something treacherous…

"I play one card face down and summon the Necrosoldier." The card's affect would allow him to create an endless army of soldiers each time Yugi moved into the standby phase of his turn. "And end my turn."

The white-haired spirit wanted to rip the word "victory" from his dictionary and see defeat shatter his pathetic soul before he finally killed him…he wanted to revel in the agony and the despair before he had his revenge.

"I begin my…"

"Not so fast, Yugi!" Bakura clicked his tongue, "I activate Necrosoldier's special ability: When you enter into the standby phase of your turn, another soldier is automatically summoned to the field."

The youth bit down on his lip as he considered his move: Bakura's monsters had no defense points, but they did act as shields that defended his Life Points. On his turn, though, his Swordsman would reach the Level 5 evolution stage…with one more monster, he would be able to attack Bakura's Life Points directly and finish the duel.

Drawing a card, he analyzed his hand, selected a card, and summoned his Silent Magician. He then proceeded to attack the two Necrosoldiers with his Magician and his Marshmallon; with those two monsters knocked out of the way, he would go in for the killing blow with his Swordsman.

He honestly thought he had the duel won until the thief coolly proclaimed, "I activate my trap card, the Narrow Corridor."

Yugi cursed to himself as his Swordsman was frozen in place mere inches from Bakura and his Life Points…so close and yet so far away…

"This is a permanent trap that negates an opponent's ability to attack three times. After two monsters charge, the third one is prevented from attacking."

"So freaking close…" Joey growled to himself.

"Yeah, but Bakura lost his shield monsters," Tristan offered, "On the next turn, he's finished."

With no other options, Yugi had to declare the end of his turn, switching control of the field to Bakura.

The white-haired man responded viciously, "I play this permanent spell card!"

The "All Killing Death Card" sprang up on the field in a halo of sickly colored light.

Yugi felt his heart sink as his stomach jumped into his throat; with that card, he was forced to discard one card at the end of each turn equal to the number of monsters on the field. That, however, included Bakura's ghost monsters, and with no graveyard for them to be sent to, their numbers would only grow…

Finishing out his turn by summoning the Necromannequin in defense mode, Bakura directed his gaze beyond the small cluster of people behind Yugi. They couldn't see into the shadows that were swarming thickly around them, but he could.

He saw both Sakura and Lynn's spirits wondering aimlessly through the dark, both lost, cold, and numb to the world clashing around them. Though both, it seemed, had for a very short period of time managed to break through the dark veil. If it hadn't been for the troublesome redhead informing Yugi of his plans, he would have been able to finish the duel sooner…

But, he reasoned, what fun was death without the fear and pain to spike it?

"Oh," He added mildly as another Necrosoldier popped up in front of him, "As you enter your standby, I gain another one."

Yugi glared at him from across the narrow bridge, _'What am I supposed to do? There are already eight monsters on the field, meaning I have to discard eight cards at the end of each turn. And if I summon more, it only gets worse…'_

"Shall I tell you the name of this technique?" Bakura sneered, seeing indecision enter Yugi's amethyst eyes.

The shorter man said nothing, to the amusement of the thief who replied, "It is my Undead Locked Deck."

Yugi didn't reply; his mind was racing far too quickly trying to formulate an escape strategy to concern himself with Bakura's darker musings; but perhaps that was best, as his friends weren't, at the moment, able to muster even a little bit of hope to sustain him.

"If he summons another monster, he has to throw away more cards…" Tristan trailed off.

"Not only that, but with Narrow Corridor active, all Bakura needs is two cards to defend his Life Points." Joey added.

"So he's just going to wait until Yugi's deck runs out of cards?" Teá asked, knowing that the inability to draw a card would end the duel.

"Looks like it." Joey told her.

She looked as though she might say something further, but Yugi's voice cut the air, "I play one card face down and I attack your two shield monsters with my Silent Swordsman and Magician!"

"Yugi, what the hell are you doing?" Joey cried, "You'll only throw away more cards!"

"Oh, but it gets so much worse." Bakura snipped as the two monsters were repelled, "Too bad I played this card spell card before you attacked!"

The card "Multiply" rose up from the floor.

Yugi's jaw dropped with hopelessness as the singular Necromannequin was suddenly increased to a staggering ten monsters, bringing his total discard count up to fifteen…more than half of his remaining deck…

"Are you done?" Bakura sneered, "Yes? Then you know what you have to do! Take fifteen cards, Yugi, and discard them!"

"Damn…" Joey muttered to himself, his eyes glazing over with hopelessness, "At this rate, Yugi's deck will be destroyed in the next turn…"

Numbly, Yugi took the top fifteen cards of his remaining deck and slid them into the graveyard.

Feeling his victory coming closer, the white-haired entity of the Ring spoke, "I could just sit here and let my combination destroy you…but I want to drive the sword of my revenge even deeper into your chest. I summon Necroface in defense mode…and then I end my turn."

"Shit…guys, this can't be the end…" Tristan cried, trying to convince himself, desperate to convince _anyone_ that they still had a chance…

Yugi, however, felt beyond home…If he lost the Shadow Game, he would disappear from the World of Memory and he knew that he would be leaving Yami…his brother…his friends…the woman he loved alone to face the parasitic, sadistic spirit of the Millennium Ring…

"YUGI!" Joey's strange accent whipped across the air, "You're a _duelist_! It _isn't _over until you draw the _last _card!"

Realization jolted him and he felt his panic fall away, _'A…duelist…He's right…Yami _never _gave up…Never. I made a _promise_ that I'd find your true name…and it's here…just at the end of this tunnel. And because I made that promise, I'll defeat _any _enemy that stands in my way.' _

"My turn! Draw!" He cried, moving with renewed vigor.

The image of the monster flickered across his mind and without needing to look, he yelled, "I sacrifice two monsters to summon the Dragon of Destruction, Gandora."

A massive black dragon rose from the shadows, its jewel encrusted skin shining even in the poor light of the pyramid. Its fangs, pearly white and set in neat rows, parted its mouth into a terrible slash, its ruby eyes set on the spirit of the former Thief King.

_'Gandora…' _Bakura felt fear settle in an icy fist in the pit of his stomach.

Seeing him flinch on a deep level, Yugi pressed his advantage, "There was only one card that could defeat your Undead Locked Deck and it's been sleeping in my deck the entire time!"

"I've…never seen that card before…" Joey trailed off as the creature gave a monstrous, thundering roar.

"In exchange for summoning him, I tribute half my Life Points; when Gandora is summoned, its special affect wipes the field clear of monsters."

"All…my ghosts…my monsters…" Bakura's composure began to crack, panic making him stupid.

"What is he doing? His monsters are going to be destroyed, too!" Joey cried out as a blinding white light issued from the gems laid into the dragon's hide.

For a long moment, Bakura felt victory in his blood. With so many monsters destroyed, Yugi would have to toss his entire deck and lose the duel…

And suddenly a white-hot lance of pain drove through him from behind; crimson sputtered from his mouth as he felt forward, the Silent Swordsman standing regally behind him.

"H-how…?" Bakura gasped as his Life Points plummeted to zero.

"I used the spell card Magical Barrier to protect my Swordsman." He replied as the thief collapsed forward.

A victorious chant of, "HE WON!"

The cheer of his friends fell on deaf ears: Yugi took no joy in banishing Bakura to the shadows for eternity…

"Come on." He said, "Yami's true name is at the end of this corridor!"

* * *

Bakura gasped, clutching his chest, as a thin tendril of crimson spilled from his lips.

Yami's sharp eyes missed nothing and his piercing gaze rose to the flinching thief. Folding his arms across his chest, he contemplated the turn of events and knew there could be only one conclusion: his friends were getting close…

"It seems your pathetic friends defeated a piece of my soul in the game." His voice dripped venom, "They've almost found your true name…"

"If you're attempting to make a point, make it." Yami replied icily.

"The Pharaoh's name is tied to an ancient secret even you don't know."

"Let me guess…" Yami responded dryly, "It's the secret to winning this game."

"Oh, yes." The thief smiled eerily, "I'll be in trouble _if_ you learn it, but considering I have no intention of losing my advantage, I wouldn't dwell on the possibility."

Yami sighed in irritation to himself and would have been quite happy to let the matter drop from the verbal war if Bakura hadn't continued.

"In fact, this entire Shadow Game has been nothing less than a fight over your true name. After three thousand years, the Millennium Puzzle has led us to this place, to this battle and this war, for the purpose of just that discovery!"

The former Pharaoh's eyes narrowed, _'The Millennium Puzzle led us here…?' _

"Three thousand years ago the Pharaoh seal his very soul into the Millennium Puzzle to stop the Great Evil from destroying the world. When the Puzzle was shattered, his memories were fragmented."

"But…"

"That's right. You're _partner _appeared, the only one who could reconstruct the puzzle. And now your puzzle is streaming forth the memories it's guarded for all these long years. It replays them, shining them onto my ancient Egyptian diorama."

"Bakura, I'm growing quite weary of your word play." Yami's voice was laced with the hint of a threat.

"Too bad for your friends," The white-haired male continued, "That I'm going to slaughter them before they find it!"

"Ba-" His cry was cut short when the man in question's hand lashed out.

"I know activate Zorc's third power: Catastrophe!" He shrieked.

_'The third hour glass…what in Ra's name is going on here?' _Yami thought to himself as the board began to collapse in on itself.

"The entire diorama is built on a massive hourglass!" Bakura explained, "Your friend are about to be swallowed forever by the sands of time along with the Valley of the Kings!"

"RUN!" Yami shouted, knowing his friends couldn't hear him and tortured by the knowledge that he could do nothing to help them.

* * *

"Let's go through here!" Yugi suggested as he passed through a stone entryway.

The ground began to shake suddenly and the sickening crack of stone filled the air as a massive chunk of rock fell across the bridge and shattered it. Hairline fractures began to spread across the hieroglyphs and the rock whined as it shifted dangerously.

"The whole tomb is coming down!" Tristan yelled as he tried to find his footing.

"We have to hurry!" Yugi shouted over the noise as he darted down the hall.

_'Almost there…almost there…' _He told himself endlessly, his legs burning, his chest heaving, sweat pooling on his skin.

"Look! There's a door!" He cried as the darkness was pushed back by a golden light that seeped from the seam of the two sides. "It's there! His true name!"

He lunged.

* * *

"YUGI!" Yami's cry of anguish echoed as a swirling vortex of destruction rose from the portion of the diorama that comprised the Valley of Kings.

"They're buried in the sands, by now, Pharaoh." Bakura spat, "And, in addition, you've lost the vessel for your soul to return to! Now you can never learn your true name."

Privately wallowing in the knowledge that his own shadow found before its destruction in the tomb, he smirked; he would take the Pharaoh's name to his grave and would hold eternal dominion over the spirit's very identity.

"Let's continue!" He cried raucously, "The catastrophic earthquake worsens and it won't end until Zorc's darkness has consumed the world!"

* * *

"My Lady!" Rabiah's cry accompanied her embrace as the queen was thrown from her feet. She landed hard against the young woman, winding them both.

The queen clung to her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders as the main clung to Nathifa's chest.

"My Lady, what is happening?" She begged, tears splashing hotly onto the queen's gown.

"The darkness is upon us…" She trialed off, biting her lip as her eyes turned to the darkening sky.

The sun was rapidly blotted out before her eyes as massive, black clouds swirled in the sky. Lightning flashed frighteningly behind the dark grey veil that they formed and she could feel the air chill against her skin with the influx of evil that had invaded her kingdom.

"Is there no hope?" Rabiah's voice was high with desperation.

"There is always hope!" Nathifa felt strength rise up in her. "I believe in him…in the Priests…and I must join them in battle."

"No, My Lady!" She shrieked in horror, her grip intensifying.

"I can't sit idly by, Rabiah, while my lands are assaulted. I am a queen of Egypt and if this is my doom, then I go to it gladly. If you've any love for me, then ready my armor."

"I will," Her tear-stained face was impassioned, "Follow you to death and the Great Beyond, My Lady."

"I will not ask that of you. Listen closely to me, Rabiah," She cupped her chin gently and lifted her head to meet her eyes, "You will help garb me and then you are to stay in the Palace until this is over."

"My Queen…do not send me from your sight…"

"I send you from my sight, not from my heart." She told her, helping her rise, "I shall see you again, Rabiah, whether it be in this life or in the shining Fields of Reeds."

The girl squeezed her hand and wiped away her tears, "For you, My Queen, I would walk to the ends of the earth."

* * *

"It seems the Great Darkness is upon us…" Omorose said to herself as she opened a chest at the foot of her bed.

Her hands flitted through the fabric easily until they finally came to the garment she knew so well.

"I have sworn to Pharaoh and to the Protectoress of the Dead and Guiding Light of Lost Souls Isis that I will uphold my duties as the living conduit of their will on earth. I swore that I would be the mortal light of their grace upon those whose time has come. I have sworn that I will not be lead into temptation but that I will guard the people of this land from the tempting lies of darkness." She chanted to herself as she lifted the dress from the wooden coffer.

It unfurled in her hands, revealing a long, complicated robe: the sheer silk wrapped around her lithe frame, veiling her curves in misty sheets. A singular slit ran up the left side to her hip, revealing her flawless leg. The bodice was meant to be arranged in complex pleats over her breasts before trailing to a long sleeve that hooked to her wrist on the right side. Hundreds of jewels were sewn into the gauzy layers and assembled to delineate the prayers of Isis and her words.

"I," Omorose told herself as she lifted a silver headpiece from the chest, "Am the Mortal Queen of the Dead and a humble servant of my goddess. "I bring comfort in the face of death and am the guiding light of those loosed from their bodies. And because I have sworn my allegiance to Isis, my Mother goddess, I will not flinch from this great evil."

* * *

Atem stood surrounded by the destroyed ruin of Kul Elna and bravely faced the evil god that stood before him and his mortal slave, Bakura-Thief King and the Last of Kul Elna.

"If we do not defeat him," Siamun cried, clenching his fist, his voice ringing with passion, "His foul darkness will cover the world. We, our souls, our descendents, will be his slaves and the victims of his unspeakable evil. Priests, Guardians of the Sennen Items, The Bringers of Justice, this cannot be permitted to pass!"

"Let's go!" Atem yelled, power filling him from a place he didn't know existed in the corridors of his soul.

"Duos!" Seto's voice cut the air as his spirit appeared before him.

As he felt his ba flicker outwards, he couldn't help but think of his wife, the flame of his soul, and swear to himself that he would see her again.

"Spiria!" Isis sang, "I summon you!"

Beside her, Mana's Dark Magician Girl rose and joined the soul of her master. Pride emanated from her ethereal form and in her heart, she knew that, even if she died that hour on the destroyed field, she would not disrespect the honor, the privilege, of standing alongside them in battle with regret.

Turning around and seeing the unfaltering will, the absolute strength of courage in his comrades, his Priests, even as their bodies were failing, Atem felt his own spirit being to rise.

"This is our final battle." He said, focusing his own ba.

"That it is, Pharaoh!" Akhenaden cried, "Now die and fall into the agonizing shadows of darkness!"

TBC


	35. Regarding a Temporary Hiatus

**_Authoress's Notes Regarding a Temporary Cessation of Updates_**

_It has recently come to my attention that there was a bit of a coincidence regarding some fanfictions. My story, __Crystal Lotus_, shares some, I'll admit, startling aspects with IceMaidenOfLegend's story OpalMoon. Let me say, firstly, that I did not know her fanfiction existed at all until I received her email sometime yesterday and that any and all similarities are, indeed, coincidences. The name Saki, used in both fictions, is for her, I believe, an original character, whereas for me it is the nickname my best friend and sister Tiffany gave me after she met me while I was MySpace rping as Haruno Sakura. As for the title "Crystal Lotus," Tiffany and I chose it for its symbolic meaning. The lotus means "estranged love" with the implication of reunion in the future. The "Crystal" was meant to represent diamonds and the promise of eternity. Together, it means "Eternal love, temporarily estranged." As of this time, I do not know how it is being used in her story. I have only briefly skimmed it to detect the glaring similarities so that I could explain them. I am in contact with IceMaidenOfLegend at this time and we are working to resolve the confusion. Until then, Crystal Lotus will be on hold. You have my apologies. I also apologize if at any point it appeared I plagiarized her, or anyone else's, work. My creations are my own and when, on occasion, I do borrow from other authors, it is ALWAYS with EXPLICIT credit give to them and their story in the "A/N" portion of my notes along with the relevant disclaimers.

_We are doing our best to resolve this issue and I can do nothing more than to ask for the patience of my readers and for the understanding of hers. Please understand that Crystal Lotus__ will continue; this is a temporary measure-I cannot stress that enough. This fanfiction will NOT be deleted, canceled, or discontinued. I hope that until then, all of you will hold strong with me. _


	36. Regarding the End to a Temporary Hiatus

**_Authoress's Notes Regarding the Reinstatement of Updates_**

_As of yesterday, IceMaidenOfLegend and myself reached the mutual conclusion that all similarities between OpalMoon and Crystal Lotus were, indeed, coincidental. We are both happy with the conclusion that we came to, mutually, and all of the respective parties involved in the matter have been or will be in the near future duly informed of what has occurred. If there are any questions remaining from my fanbase, I am happy to provide transcripts of the role-play with ScarletRoseProdigy (Tiffany, my co-writer and sole owner of Lynn Haruno) as well as the transcript of the emails that were exchanged between IceMaidenOfLegend and myself. If you would like either or both of these documents, feel free to private message me either here on FFN or to my Yahoo account at . I am willing to answer any and all questions to the best of my ability. _

_As this matter has successfully been put behind us, I would like to inform everyone of a bit of good news: I am the new editor for the Yu-gi-oh Millennium Releases. After Mangafox removed the content, a group of dedicated fans moved the entire series to Photobucket. For more information on the matter, you can visit the Yu-gi-oh! Millennium World forum on . There you will find a link to our Photobucket album. As such, there will be a short delay in chapter updates, however, they will be of much greater depth because I will have more chapters available to reference. _

_With much love, _

_YuhiSakura and ScarletRoseProdigy_


	37. Egyptian Lotus Petal Fifteen

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Fifteen**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh or any recognizable plot, affiliate, or characterization! TiffTiff, my bestie and sister, however, DOES own Omorose Mubarak and Lynn Haruno…so…hands off!**_

"This, my priests, is our finest hour." Atem spoke, turning his eyes up to find a sun he knew was hidden, but not lost, "When we stand together to combine our powers."

His eyes found Mahado's spirit and he told him, _'I will fight until my ba is extinguished and my soul is ripped from the mortal coil.'_

'_My Pharaoh, it is an honor to fight here with you. My soul, My King, my friend, is your eternal servant.'_

"Pharaoh, there is nowhere else that I would rather stand," Mana said as she commanded her spirit to relinquish its power to her master, "Than here, with you."

The spirits of the two Magicians found each other in midair and crossed their staffs. Ignoring Akhanden's condemnations of their weakness, they forced the orbs of their magic together into a brilliant, glowing sphere of purple and black energy.

It exploded from the junction of their union and engulfed the creature in a swirling vortex of heat and light. But to the acute horror of those present, as the smoke settled, it revealed the smirking god of destruction.

"A little bit of fire at my fingertips." He growled, his eyes gleaming with evil intention.

'_They're greatest attack…didn't even faze him…'_ Atem bit down hard on his lip and tried to summon what strength he might have left.

"Now, take this!"

The creature's arm swept down, trailing a concussive string of blasts that shattered the ground and threw the priests from their feet into the air.

Atem closed his eyes, blinded by the heat, and ready for his death when he heard a faint cry…someone leapt against him, wrapping him in their arms…He felt their blood spray across him and when he opened his eyes, he was holding the still-warm corpse of Shada.

"S-Shada…" Tears gathered in his eyes.

* * *

Nathifa flinched as a pain lanced through her chest; she stopped in her tracks, tears running from her eyes, as she felt a spirit depart from the mortal plane…a mere flicker of energy across the tumultuous darkness that was threatening to engulf them.

'_Shada…Rest in everlasting peace, my friend.'_

Wiping away her tears, she stepped into the Temple of Isis and knelt before her stone likeness.

She wore the attire of war-her bodice was gold plate, braided over itself. Red silk hung from her shoulders and was gathered in a skirt around her hips. Running down between her legs was a braid of gold that girdled her pelvis. Her hair was pulled back in a knot at the base of her neck and her fingernails were painted red in tribute of the blood she knew would be spilled-and she carried the offerings her goddess would require for a blessing upon the raging battle: a silver chalice of her own crimson life force and a strand of brilliant black and scarlet gems.

"Keeper of my Light and my beloved, I pray for your guiding hand." She began, pouring the goblet into the fountain that rested between the feet of the stone-rendered goddess. "I offer my soul, to you, Isis, and, to him, I offer my life. Bind us together in this mortal coil or beyond, for in unity there is strength…strength that is desperately needed now."

She dipped the ornate necklace into the burgundy colored water and set it down at her feet before rising and chanting the ancient spells.

She had tied her life to Atem's…to their victory.

* * *

"There are only two priests left," Akhenaden chuckled, "And your _Pharaoh_ is badly wounded. Haven't you fools yet realized that there is no hope!"

"Bastard!" Seto demanded, "Why have you betrayed us, Akhenaden! Why have you sold yourself to the evil will of this monstrosity?"

The priest, even behind the shadows that cloaked him, felt something stir in his heart; he had seen such fear on Seto's face only once before…when he was a boy. After he had bonded himself to the Millennium Eye and Seto saw him for the first time as a Priest of the Sennen Items…He had looked at him like he was a monster trying to trick him into believing it was his father…But…he wasn't a monster…At least…he hadn't been a monster then…

"You were once my master!" Seto pressed, "But now that you dare serve the Evil One, I can call you nothing but my enemy!"

"I have fused with the shadows, Seto. Your ka cannot defeat me now!" Akhenaden warned him.

"For the first, and last, time, I rebel! I will defeat you!" He shouted, rage clouding his vision with red.

"You can never defeat me!" The former priest insisted, a malicious light beaming from the Millennium Eye.

Tendrils of evil snapped around him, sending hot, painful bursts of electricity through his already battered body.

"I will guide you with pain as one guides the slave with the whip!" The Sennen Eye holder told him icily, "With your ka will also die your pathetic notion of justice!"

A concussive blast threw him back, tattering his clothes and ripping skin. Blood and sand sprayed from the crater his body created.

* * *

"Don't you dare slip away!" Omorose cried, bolting to her feet and screaming into the darkness.

She had felt his soul slide just a little…it shifted ever so slightly and even that small movement was marred with pain and the cloudy haze of evil that infected the magic that flowed around them innately. But it _enraged _her, nevertheless.

"You are a Priest of the Pharaoh and bearer of the Millennium Rod!" She screamed, her fists clenching, "Seto! If you've nothing else to fight for, then fight for me!"

* * *

"Seto, watch my power!" Akhenaden snapped as dark vortexes opened up in the sand around him.

"I see nothing but your traitorous, rotted heart!" The man replied as he forced himself on his feet.

"My army of the dead is rising!" The Priest of Shadows called as more and more skeletal cadavers poured from the ground.

"So many corpses!" Siamun cried in alarm.

"They will destroy you all before you take even a stumbling step towards Zorc the god!" Akhenaden laughed.

"Fall back!" Siamun shouted, "Protect the Pharaoh!"

The Dark Magicians dropped down, forming a loose half-moon between their mortal god and the living army of skeletons that threatened to destroy their only hope.

As they pressed ever closer, the vizier called to the Millennium Tauk bearer, "Spiria alone cannot turn the tide of this battle!"

"I know." She allowed.

"Sacrifice your ba, then, for the sake of the Pharaoh!" The elderly man yelled.

He pushed back, kneeling beside the cooling corpse of his apprentice. His withered hand closed around the Millennium Key and he silently begged his forgiveness.

'_I gave the Key to you as my successor…but now, I must take it back. Will it, will you, lend your power to this old man?'_ He wondered as he rose and called forth the demon guardian of the palace, his personal ka…

Exodia, the Forbidden One.

* * *

He couldn't see, couldn't breathe over the stench of the bodies and the dust kicked into the air…he couldn't hear over the deafening roar of feet and magic…and then, suddenly, it all fell away and Akhenaden was kneeling before him, protecting him, offering him his hand…

"Come, Seto," He said, "I'll give you power."

The sands suddenly washed away and he looked on in horror as the palace sank into the ground, destroyed by Zorc's rage and his limitless power.

"The…palace…" He stammered.

"I have brought you here to witness the coming of a new age. That stone altar of false gods and power is sinking beneath the sands and will be devoured by time. I know your thoughts: your mind flickers to the power you left beneath it, in the dank dungeons."

"Kisara!" He yelled, her face darted across his mind.

"Forget her! She'll be dead soon enough. But you, you, Seto, can have this great power! I will make you the new king of this world-a world that Zorc is cleansing now…My son."

Seto's stomach churned violently and bile flooded his already bitter mouth.

"S-son…"

"The previous king was my brother; you share the same royal blood that flows in the Pharaoh's veins. The Pharaoh's fate is to ours as light is to shadow. _Kill_ him, and together you and I can rule this new world."

"You…" His gaze drifted back to the collapsing palace and to the sweet girl, alone and scared, there.

"Still thinking of that girl? Let her die and the god in her soul will take up residence in yours! Use its power, Seto, and become king!"

For a long moment, silence hung heavy between the two before Seto spoke.

"Even…if you were my father, I would _never _sell my soul to the darkness!" He shouted, spinning hard on his heel.

He ran past the dark priest and into the crumbling halls; guards followed after him, begging him to turn back, to stay away. But their cries fell on deaf ears.

He sprinted down the stairs and into the creaking darkness to throw open her cell door and demand of her, "Are you alright?"

"Lord…Seto? What is going on?" She asked timidly.

"There isn't time!" He yelled, grabbing her.

"Please! Lord Seto, did I do this? Is this because of the monster inside of me?" She begged.

He stopped for a split second, stuck between the crumbling walls of the palace and the fracturing walls of justice, "No; this catastrophe was caused by humans who were seduced by the darkness. _Men_ are the monsters here."

"Lord…Seto…"

He glanced over his shoulder, "Don't worry. What lives in you is not a monster."

He grabbed her hand, and pulled up the stairwell. The walls of the palace had already caved, leaving nothing standing between her and the boundless desert.

"Get away from here as fast as you can!" He told her, "Travel as far away from here as you can, so that the fires of war won't taint you."

"Please…My Lord…"

"Go!" He snapped.

She flinched, turning slowly on her heel, her eyes locked on his until he finally spun around to face the horizon.

'_You must not be caught by the shadows, Kisara. You must always run towards the light.'_

"You fool! Why did you let her go?" Akhenaden demanded as he appeared from the darkness around them. "With the power of the Millennium Rod, you could have extracted her go and made it your own! My son, why did set her free?"

"You," Seto told him calmly, icily, "Are not my father. He died a long time ago. He gave his life bravely on the field of battle."

Something snapped inside the man, killing what small piece of him might still have been human, and he surrendered in his entirety to the darkness.

"Very well, then I shall use the power of the god!" He shouted as his gaze drifted over Seteo's shoulder.

Horror filled the priest and he cried, "Kisara!" even as she was struck by the light and had her soul ripped from her body.

* * *

'_There are too many…we can't defeat this number…'_ Atem's thoughts raced across hundreds of strategies, all of them doomed to fail in his exhausted mind.

"My Pharaoh," Siamun said, meeting his gaze with his own, "Leave this to me. I shall protect you!"

"Siamun, no!" He protested.

'_There is strength yet in these old bones…' _He thought to himself as he brandished the Millennium Key in his hand.

"Demon god of the palace, of five sacred parts sealed in stone, I know release you!" He cried, gold light radiating from the conduit of ancient power in his hands.

The ground shook as a massive creature, larger even than Zorc, rose from the desecrated ruins of the palace into the air. The rattle of broken chains and the heat of fire filled the air and joyous cries rang high into the twilight.

"It's Exodia! The legendary guardian that defeated one thousand armies in a night!"

Siamun let their passion fill him as he cried, "Exodia! Burn our enemies with the hellfire of your wrath!"

A shimmering vortex of unnaturally colored light spun from the creature's hands, engulfing the field and the armies of the undead in fire pulled from another dimension and power not of their own plane.

"Am..amazing…" One of the guards watching over Shada's body stammered, "He…annihilated the entire army of undead in a single blow…"

"Don't let your guard down!" Atem cried, "We still haven't defeated Zorc!"

"You disgusting gnats…" The god spat, his eyes burning with hatred.

Siamun met his gaze evenly, "Exodia! Increase to Maximum Fire! Finish Zorc!"

The creature's skeletal lips pulled away, _'Don't make me show you my true power!'_

Atem felt an icy chill run down his back as a thought flickered across his mind….and he sent his apology, all too short and too late, across the expanse that separated them.

TBC


	38. A Response from the CoAuthor

Hey everyone, ScarletRoseProdigy here, co-writer of Crystal Lotus. I just wanted to take the time to thank you all for reviewing our story that we're still working quite hard on.

We're sorry for the slow updating but my sister Yuhi Sakura is quite the busy bee lately and I tend to throw myself into my own work so I also want to thank you for being patience with us as we complete it.

However, I do want to address a certain review we recieved. I won't say who it was but I will admit, it got on my nerves.

Before anyone says anything, please note that I do respect other people's opinions. That is what reviews are for, to tell us what you think and what's on your mind as you read our work. I do not judge people for what they say because otherwise, there would be no point in having around let alone post up our work.

As you know, Haruno Lynn, the older sister of Haruno Sakura and girlfriend of Seto Kaiba, is my creation. She is my OC and I appreciate none of you taking her and using her as your own. I respect my idea being respected. Actually, to be honest, I'm a little surprised a few of you are fans of her. Not that I'm complaining that is, LOL.

Now, I'm sure all of you know how OC's take quite some time to create. There are detail after detail to work with and make sure everything sounds perfect, almost like they could be an actual canon character. It took me quite some time to create Lynn and, to be honest, I'm still adding details to her original biography.

And, considering the many fans we have for Crystal Lotus, I'm sure many of you know that yes, Lynn IS a main character in this story and plays a vital role throughout the entire thing.

However, as I stated before, one review particually hit a nerve, saying that the story would be better if Lynn Haruno wasn't in this story. They also said that people don't generally like OC's, that they take the spotlight away from the REAL main character.

Now, again, I respect their opinion, but please do not get mad at me for getting slightly ticked off at this review. Haruno Lynn is dear to my heart for many reasons, not just because she's my creation. So when I see that someone thinks she isn't needed or even wanted in this story that my sister happens to LOVE, its going to piss me off. (And for those of you wondering, yes, like my character, I happen to be a natural redhead so my temper isn't something fun).

I'm very happy most of you happen to love my character and don't have a problem with her being in it. But for the others who DO have a problem with it, please take it up with me and send me a Private Message on my page. Don't leave it in a review.

Now, for those of you who like Haruno Lynn and would like to read more stories with her in it, please visit my page. I try to post as often as I can but, as my profile describes, I'm a bit old-school, meaning I hand-write everything out before I type it all up and post it for fans like you. Most of my fics are indeed one-shots, but I am working on other stories at the same time, so please be patient.

That should be it. I hope I didn't offend any of you by stating my own opinion. Please continue reading Crystal Lotus and I hope all of you stick around to see the end!

~ScarletRoseProdigy


	39. Egyptian Lotus Petal Sixteen

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Sixteen**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh! However, as always, Lynn Haruno is the creation of my best friend and sister, and is her sole intellectual property. **_

Atem knew….knew even before Zorc's eyes flickered with white madness, that it was utterly hopeless. The rumbling horror of the monstrosity's voice, reverberating "Dark Phenomenon!" only confirmed his worst fears.

Time slowed around him as his eyes flickered over his shoulder to his mentor; in front of him, the sudden whip-like lash of energy bisected Exodia. Nausea washed over the Pharaoh as the alarmed cries of the guards rose around him; blood sprayed from the tight clench of Siamun's teeth, arcing high in a bloody mist.

"Siamun!" He felt his throat throb, raw flesh pained by the desperation of his cry.

He bounded forward, tripping over his own feet and barely reaching the old man before the cold slap of the hard ground. The elderly council struggled for a moment, lifting his hand to brush the Pharaoh's cheek. Blood gurgled in his throat as he gasped, "Pharaoh…I….I tried….tried to…."

His hand fell away from Atem's bruised face and his body went limp in his arms.

Hatred and pain in equal measures rushed over the Pharaoh and he loosed a wordless scream of grief into the heavy air. But even before the echoing of his anguish had died away, Zorc's sadist laughter rose.

"You have lost, _Pharoah,_" He snarled, "Your pitiful souls will never defeat me!"

Shaking with rage and grief, Atem laid the body of his friend, his mentor, down at his feet and shouted, "Toss away our bodies, our souls, Zorc, into the darkness and it won't matter! We will continue to fight!"

"Do you not realize I _am_ the Darkness?" The hideous god replied, its skeletal face brimming with evil light. "What do you see in the Darkness? Do you see _anything_ but your own foolishness, your regrets? You mortals fear the darkness, but it rules you utterly. It is in your heart and your mind and your soul and it will readily consume you."

Atem clenched his fists as an image flickered across his inner eye: her emerald eyes, lit by the compassionate fire of her soul, was more than enough to wash away his doubts. He knew it, as surely as he knew the hopelessness of their situation, that good did exist in the world.

"That is _not_ true! The soul in this body, in _our _bodies, are the lights of life! They will never go out! If nothing else, I believe in that!"

"Tell me, _Great Pharaoh, _now that your men have died and your ba is fading, what will you do?" The monstrosity chuckled darkly.

"Though I may die, the light within my soul will pass to another who is worthy, until at last you are defeated!"

"You fool!" His dark laughter grew even heavier, "Don't you realize that darkness is born in the human heart, in the very depths of the human soul? Men waver in the light, unable to comprehend the truth of their own flawed natures, and turn to the darkness, to the comfort of oblivion. The never ending wars, the relentless slaughter, these are instincts! Instincts that craft civilizations. And with my powers I will bring out the rising of a new civilization: I will plunge you foolish mortals into an eternal hell!"

The earth began to shiver beneath him and the what little light there was in the sky was blotted out as Zorc screamed, "Come forth, my spirits! Cover the heavens and crawl out of hiding! Your time is come!"

The sudden influx of evil shattered the ground around him, and even as his guards cried out in panic, Atem held his ground and shouted, "I fight for the souls of those who lost their lives searching for the light. I will _never_ allow this world to be swallowed by your evil!"

A purple blur skipped in front of him, shadowed by a shimmer of silver and a reassuring halo of pink light behind him.

"Pharaoh, we have power, yet." Mahado told him as Mana and Hasan flanked him.

"Then fight until my ba is gone!" Atem replied, clenching his fists so tightly he drew blood.

They three spirits leapt forward in a tripartite of color and power, surrounding the monster and unleashing all that they had against him. Magic and soul energy swirled in a rippling shockwave that would have torn apart almost anything.

Almost…

"I'll blow your pathetic spirits away and, with it, your soul, Oh-Mighty-Pharaoh!" The creature mocked him.

As the attacks washed over him, his eerie laugh pitched, "Is that _all?_ Is that all you can muster? Puny insects, worthless worms!"

Fire suddenly sprang from his body, engulfing the spirits and sending them flying away.

Pain shot through the Pharaoh's body and blood boiled up in his throat. He felt forward, unable to catch himself, as his vision blurred and the ringing in his ears intensified. He felt his body wavering and, high above him, Mahado cried to him even as his body began to fade.

He was disappearing….and that meant that it was over…the Pharaoh's ba was at an end and, with it, his life.

* * *

Nathifa tumbled forward; the pain of striking her knees against the sandstone of the temple floor was all that prevented her from blacking out. Her vision, dizzyingly blurred and convoluted, threatened to dim and, knowing that falling now would mean death for her people, her lover, she forced herself into a kneel.

Blood dripped from the corner of her lips to land against the gold of her armor. She gasped for air for a few seconds before she pushed herself onto her badly shaking legs. She lifted her hand to her goddess.

Dancing between the hazy gray worlds of life and death, she could see the misty image of her goddess before the altar.

Isis smiled radiantly at her from behind a curtain of silvery hair; her eyes gleamed like rubies set against her beautifully sun-kissed skin. Around her lithe frame was draped a gauzy silk dress. Rising from her throne, she took a step forward and took Nathifa's hand.

The Goddess' hand was warm in her icy palm and she stumbled forward in relief, into the embrace of her Mother Spirit.

Eternal night cloaked her body even as warmth filled her soul.

* * *

Omorose stopped dead in her tracks, icy sweat breaking on the nape of her neck. The world around her darkened for a fraction of a second as if space itself had been corrupted. She trembled at the sheer overwhelming force of the evil that had suddenly expanded; it took all her strength to force herself to turn around.

She couldn't, however, contain that cry that escaped her lips.

She saw with the eyes of the Protectoress of the Dead; saw the souls of the departed racing up in misty swirls in their mortal desperation to escape….they did not know that they were dead and now they were being swallowed by the same evil that had ripped them from their bodies.

'_I must…'_ She thought to herself, lifting her hand and wetting her dry lips with her tongue, _'Stop this. They cannot be permitted to feed this darkness.'_

But more than that, how could she let them go into it? They were lost, like children crying out to her in the desert of their greatest fears. She would be, _had_ to be, their oasis…their salvation.

The ancient words left her throat even as emotion and panic clogged it. She called to them, a light in the darkness, a place to run to and hide. And they came: they pulled away from the swirling vortex of evil that threatened to consume them and came to her, passed through her into the realm of Isis.

As she pulled them away, she felt small defects begin to grow in the fabric of Zorc's blanketing negativity. And as the darkness began to dim, she could feel the other tiny pinpoints of light…the fires of hope that had not yet fallen into despair or death.

_'Seto…Nathifa…My Great Pharaoh…I am here. We cannot give up. Not yet.' _

* * *

"I win, Pharaoh!" Zorc's malevolent voice only echoed Bakura's own triumphant laughter.

Yami felt his heart clench as his character fell forward on the board; pain raged through his body and his hands clenched on top of the table. But even as the Pharaoh figure began to collapse, Yami's eyes were pinned to the miniature temple where Nathifa had made her last stand.

He had to fight the urge to vomit when he realized what had happened: Sakura's body, lying safely in Domino, would recover…but he had just forced her soul, the essence of her being, into reliving the hellish nightmare of her Egyptian past.

"Bakura…" The word was so quiet that the Thief King almost didn't hear it.

His eyes narrowed as he fixed his gaze on Yami's fists, trembling with rage and bleeding from the crescent-shaped wounds his nails cut into his palm.

"You…monster." He hissed, lifting his head and pinning the white-haired male with his amethyst eyes.

The abusive spirit threw his head back and roared with laughter, "All of this anger of a mere woman?"

"Hold your vapid tongue!" The former Pharaoh snapped.

Bakura dropped his head, gazing with amusement back at him, "Three thousand years ago, that woman sacrificed her pathetic life to save yours." His grin widened, "It might have saved you then, but it won't help you now."

"I won't allow her to relive this for nothing." He replied, his voice steadily rising to a shout as he swore, "I will defeat you!"

"How, _Pharaoh_?" Bakura sneered, "Your ba is exhausted, and by the rules of the game, the Shadows have claimed you. You have lost this battle of memory!"

"No, I haven't." Yami replied simply as his gaze dropped back to the diorama; in the distant sky of the reality below them, four figures were cutting through the clouds.

They landed easily on the ground, forming a protective line between his character and the monster in front of them.

Bakura's hazel gaze dropped to the last line of defense and he cursed.

"My friends," Yami said with a faint smirk, "Came through for me."

"A mere annoyance at best." Bakura shot back as he prepared his next move.

* * *

"Hey, hang in there, Pharaoh." Tristan told him with a quick glance over his shoulder.

"We're here for you." Yugi told him as Teá knelt beside him to steady him by his shoulders.

"Be careful…Zorc…strong…" Atem replied, the knowledge of his friends from a present three thousand years removed from the hell of their person nightmare flowing from Yami to him. Now, there was no difference, no barrier, between the players and the characters…

Yami could feel the hungry shadows pushing closer…however much of an advantage they now had, they were sure to pay in spades if they lost…

His purple-hued eyes fell back to the board as Yugi's voice rose from the landscape, "Zorc, I'm not going to let you keep attacking him!"

"So…The Pharaoh has allies yet. Do you not realize you are fools to stand between me and my prey?" The God of Darkness responded.

Teá leaned close against the figure of the Pharaoh and glared up at the evil entity. Her eyes, however, darted back down a moment later to a cartouche pendant that she had given him just before they had been plunged into the world of memory.

Suddenly, as if seeing the same thing, the monstrosity looming overhead hissed, "You are not the memories of three thousand years ago…you are the new memories the Pharaoh's spirit made when he was awoken in the modern time."

"Like hell!" Joey responded angrily, "We're the real deal!"

"Regardless, I will crush the Pharaoh's allies, no matter how many come! The only hope left for you is a quick death!"

"You think so?" Yugi shouted back with surprising strength as his duel disk sprang to life.

"Why don't you fight us and see for yourself!" Joey added.

"If you insist, I will assure that you precede the Pharaoh into the darkness." Zorc snapped.

Yugi took a step to the left to guard his other self and his female friend. His eyes darted over his shoulder and reached out between the link that bound them to each other still.

_'This deck is the one we built together…the deck that we fought all those duels with. Each card is filled with that spirit, Yami. And with our monsters and friends, I _know _we're stronger than he is.' _

Atem looked up at him, fire lighting dimly behind his eyes as he nodded.

"Draw!" Yugi shouted, pulling a card from his deck and setting it down.

A swirling purple mist gathered between them and Zorc as the Dark Magician took shape. Mahado, his face betraying his shock at the sudden summons, could only glance back at the young man and silently thank him.

"The…Dark Magician? Impossible!" Zorc insisted, "I killed him!"

Mana smirked at the monster despite his power; united between the warriors of the modern day, there was power….power enough, maybe, even to defeat Zorc.

And as she looked back down at them from the spirit ka that was risen from her soul, she could see their desire to protect the Pharaoh radiant as a brilliant light around them. Though her master's ba was exhausted, there was enough in them to call forth the light necessary to banish him.

Joey followed Yugi's suit a moment later and drew his own card. The movement drew Zorc's malevolent gaze.

_'Those pieces of parchment…are _they_ the stone slabs of the modern age?'_ It thought as rage boiled in its belly.

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" The Brooklyn blond's victorious cry prefaced the sudden resurrection of the dark dragon.

Isis, stunned into silence, watched from beside Mana's body as they rallied their attack and felt hope rekindle in her heart. These warriors…with their odd ka and their strange magic, just might save them all…

Zorc, however, seemed amused at the attempt at a rally, "So, the warriors of the modern age can summon ka, as well?"

"Red-Eyes, shut him up!" Joey ordered.

"Go, Dark Magician!" Yugi's cry rose behind his.

The two creatures leapt forward, dark magic and black fire mixing into a violent torrent of power that engulfed the Dark God.

"Direct hit!" Yugi cheered.

"Got him!" Joey pumped his fist, but even as he did, the smile fell from his face as the dust settled…

"A futile attempt." Zorc commented as he lifted his clawed hand.

Black fire churned in his palm and he flung the attack forward just as Hasan pushed himself from the ground into the path of the blast.

The black dragon was destroyed in one blast, engulfed in the inferno of Zorc's hellfire.

Teá screamed ever as she threw herself in front of Atem to protect him from the blast.

"Listen, my friends!" Hasan's voice was strained with the mortality of his wounds, "Summoning…monsters alone will not be enough…" Another wave crested over him and the nauseating odor of burning flesh and blood filled the air, "The…Pharaoh's name…his….true name…"

"Yeah, we found it!" Joey cried back, "But it was in hieroglyphics! We couldn't read it. So we burned it into _our_ memories."

"You must…" Blood seeped up through his lungs, warping his words, "Make the Pharaoh…see…it is…the only way…"

As the blast fell away, he turned to see them one more time…his face was Shadi's behind the mask of gold and for a moment, the group sat in stunned silence as his body began to fade to white mist.

"Your promise…must be kept…" His words died with the dissolving of his form and then…he was gone.

Zorc, however, left no room for grief, "I am impressed you survived that attack. But you will not survive the next."

TBC


	40. Egyptian Lotus Petal Seventeen

_**Crystal Lotus Part Seventeen**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Yu-gi-oh, but, as always, the standard warning for Lynn applies: she is the private intellectual property of my best friend, sister, and co-author ScarletRoseProdigy. **_

Joey suddenly fell forward, barely catching himself on his hands and knees.

Yugi cried out beside him, leaning down to help steady him. He was pale, and felt clammy beneath the younger man's palm. His chest was heaving, and when he exhaled, Yugi smelled blood on his breath.

"I lost a lot of Life Points when Red-Eyes was taken out…" He huffed, wiping his lips on the back of his hand, "It looks like when we reach zero, we're done for…now how the hell do we beat this jerk?"

"Foolish mortal scum! I cannot be defeated, nor killed! But I will take great pleasure in smearing you from the face of this earth!"

Yugi recoiled before he could stop himself; desperation was building now: how did they defeat Zorc? And what did Shadi mean when he told them about his other half's true name?

"Quick!" Teá's cry rose like a scream, "The hieroglyphics…we can manipulate this world with _our_ memories! Remember the symbols for his name and force them into existence!" Her eyes darted to the cartouche pendant as she extended her hand to grip her friends'.

Zorc chuckled darkly, "Die, Pharaoh. You and your pathetic friends!"

The pendant began to squirm against his chest and his eyes darted down as symbols began to glow against the metal plate. A kind of sickly excitement filled his chest, forcing more bile up into his throat. Adrenaline flooded his exhausted body, less at the death that was mere seconds away and more at the realization that _this was his name_.

"My dark powers will shatter your pathetic dreams. Your fear of death…your pathetic attempts to stave it and save your lives end here!"

Atem's hand whipped the pendant out, his eyes shimmering. He knew…he knew his one true name. High above him, Yami felt his heart begin to pound.

Kneeling beside his figure, the spirit of his father, a king of Egypt, leaned down and told him, _'Son, justice comes forth from the name of the gods. You are their descendent and heir to their throne. Use that power…to unite the three gods.' _

But beside himself, he could feel Sakura's lips brush against his cheek; her spirit had found him in his time of need and struggled from the veil of the shadows to find him, _'Come home to me, Yami…' _And then she was gone…

Atem rose from the ground, but his words now echoed Yami's, "The seal to the King's true name has been broken. This ends now, Zorc."

The evil god roared with some similar to panic, "Die, Pharaoh!"

Yami gaze pegged Bakura as the final piece of the puzzle fell into place, "My name is Atem!"

A vortex of light opened up before the Pharaoh, bathing Yami's face in white light as he gazed down on them.

Zorc shrieked, "How can it be? My attack is being swallowed with light?"

Yugi's deck suddenly shifted, exploding in a wave of cards as three of them rose into the sky. The elements of fire, earth, and lightning swirled around them as the three God Cards, the hope of Egypt, flew into the air and erupted into the spirits of salvation.

The shadows of Zorc's evil were pierced by the golden light raining down from the sky and, for the first time, the massive being recoiled in fear.

"In the name of the gods, in the name of Egypt and the king," Atem shouted in tandem with Yami, "I unite the three gods into Horakhty, the Creator God of Light!"

"Hor…akhty…" Zorc trailed off as the light threatened to overwhelm him.

"Finish it!" Atem shouted as Yami pumped his fist in victory, "Sublime Light! Djeseru!"

Zorc's stammering cry of "Im-impossible!" was cut short by the sudden influx of white and gold light that seemed to spring from _inside_ of him. The black exoskeleton of his being was suddenly shattered by hairline fractures that bled radiance.

For an eerie moment, the world was held still between the forces of light and darkness…and then at once, Zorc's frame was shattered and dissolved behind the implosion of power.

The clouds above them swirled into an onyx funnel that seemed to turn in on itself and disappear; sunlight raked through it easily, shining onto the field in glimmering rays that obliterated the remaining demons of Zorc's undead army.

"She…she beat him…" Teá stammered disbelievingly.

Her whisper was all but drowned out by Joey and Tristan's happy exclamation and Yugi's wordless shout of shout.

Atem, however, stood in stunned silence, his eyes fixed on the graceful figure of the goddess of creation. Her eyes were like sapphires set against the white gold of her skin; cloaked in the opalescent white of her armor, offset with brilliant blue gems and gold patterns, she radiated life itself…but her kind smile, the gentle curve of her lips…the light in her eyes…

She reminded him so much of Nathifa…

He reached out without meaning to, feeling with his weak energy in the vain hope that he would find the flicker of hers…but there was only a void…

She had given her life so that he could sustain…keep going…And now he didn't want to.

So much had been lost to Zorc's darkness, and even if they were only memories now, they pained Yami in the same way they hurt his Egyptian alter ego.

"Atem."

Her voice echoed across the destroyed landscape in the most peculiar way…

"Horakhty?" He turned his head up towards her.

"That is both your name and the spell to drive back the darkness." She mused, seemingly to herself.

He looked down, caught in his grief for a moment.

"But your power alone," She smiled, "Was not enough to break such a seal. It was your friends," Her gentle eyes drifted to his friends and then flickered beyond the time and space she existed in…beyond the world of memory and to a wandering soul in the shadows, "The people who fought to protect you, the friends who cared so much about you, those, Pharaoh, were truly the keys to unlocking your long forgotten name."

He nodded, watching as she disappeared in a silvery mist…back to whatever realm she claimed as her own…

"Yugi, man, you did it!" Joey cried, clapping Atem hard on the shoulder.

"Things were rough there for a minute, Yug, but we knew you had it in you!" Tristan added before the group suddenly went deathly still.

"That's right…" Joey piped up a moment later, embarrassed, "We can't call you that anymore…"

"I can't call you "Other Me" now, either!" Yugi smiled sheepishly.

"It's okay…" He responded distantly, "I don't mind…"

"No, you're name's Atem." Teá interjected.

"That, my friends," Yami said smiling down on them from the massive board, "Is the name of a long dead king. Today, I am Yami."

His gaze turned to his partner and he felt a sudden sadness. They had been two parts of the same thing for so long that it felt…so strangely lonely to be apart from him. He was himself, Yami, without the soul he considered his light….Did Yugi feel the same now that he was without his darkness?

"Thank you, Teá," He said suddenly, gripping the cartouche pendant hard in his hand, "This saved me."

"Yeah…I guess it did." She smiled, "But it wasn't me, really. I bought this because I was thinking of Sakura…" She shrugged, unsure how to say the rest: she didn't feel right about leaving her behind and she started to think about how unbearably alone she felt and then had the sudden, grim realization that Atem…Yami, might not be coming home with them…if nothing else, she could bring Sakura a name…

"Yugi, Joey, Tristan…thank you guys, too. I couldn't have done it without you."

"What did you expect, Yu—I mean, Atem! Or is Yami, now?" Joey responded with a wink.

"Just because you have a name doesn't mean that things have changed." Yugi smiled back.

Despite himself, Atem chuckled deeply, "I suppose not."

The moment, however, was interrupted by the sudden rumble of the earth beneath them.

"Great Pharaoh! Zorc is defeated, but his evil lingers. This land is still dangerous." Isis called, forcing herself onto her feet.

"Isis, Mana, who's still left?" He cried back, wondering what conduit that darkness had found its way into.

"I have not seen Lord Seto in some time, nor the Priest of Darkness, Lord Akhenden." She responded.

'_He's still alive, is he?' _Atem wondered to himself as Yami's eyes shot up to Bakura.

The end was never as close as it seemed with him…something was amiss, still…

Atem turned to his friends, "Partner, my friends, you must leave. I don't know what's happening in this world, and you can't stay. You don't belong in ancient Egypt…there must be a way for you to escape."

"What about you?" Yugi demanded.

"These are my memories, and good or bad, I must see them through to the end…to the future. I swear, I will return. Wait for me in the real world."

Yugi nodded rigidly as Joey replied, "You'd better!"

"I will. I swear." Atem replied.

"Let's go!" Teá said with sudden urgency as the tip of the Millennium Puzzle blurred and cut through the sky, allowing them their way out.

Together, the four figures rose into the air, with Isis' voice trailing behind them, "Thank you, strangers, for lending your strength to the Pharaoh."

Atem nodded at her with a tired smile before he set his jaw in a grim line; he could feel the land pulsing around him with the shadows…in the dark corners of the world, they were gathering again, trying to coalesce with new strength…

'_Seto…' _ He turned on his heel, gathering what little he had to give, and started back towards his destroyed city.

TBC


	41. Egyptian Lotus Petal Eighteen

_**Crystal Lotus Part Eighteen**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Yu-gi-oh, or Haruno Lynn. **_

Omorose turned into the radiant light, shielding her eyes from the golden rays as she looked into the horizon. The dark clouds above her were scattering and she could see the souls around her, the ones who had tried to hide from the darkness, the ones who had sought refuge in her light, began to spiral towards the Creator God's warmth.

"My Lady." The voice was soft and ethereal.

Omorose turned her hazel eyes to the spirit; her long, silver hair danced behind her in waves and her turquoise eyes shone at her. Her skin, pale in life, had been replaced with an almost opalescent glow…

"Kisara…" She trailed off. "The darkness claimed you, too, I see…"

She laughed, high and light, "No, My Lady; _Death_ claimed me, not darkness."

"You should have let me free you when you had the chance!" She responded with more fervency that she thought she had left.

Her eyes darted back to the ground as she remembered that night…Having followed Seto already once into the dungeons beneath them, she knew the dark secrets he was keeping…how he was torturing criminals and lowlifes in an attempt to force the evolution of their spirits. She knew it was wrong…she knew it was her job to free them, so that their spirits didn't return as evil ones…so their darkness couldn't harm anyone else…

"But I was selfish…" She mumbled, brushing tears away from her eyes. "I didn't care about the others. I only cared about you...and I cared for the wrong reasons." Even the memory was painful now…

_ She leapt from one of the rafters, her bare feet masking the sound of her body coming down on the stone. She stopped for a moment, holding her breath, listening…until she was sure she was as alone as she could be in the crowded darkness. _

_ Crouching down, she planted her hands on the dusty sandstone and rocked forward, swinging her body down from one beam to another and another; a moment later, she lowered herself to the ground and slipped into shadow. _

_ She stayed there a moment longer, catching her breath and listening to the distant screams of the tormented prisoners. Callously, coldly…she was annoyed by it. It distracted her…those terrified vocalizations. She hated them for it…hated them for their fear. _

_ Frustrated, she flipped her hair back over her shoulder and walked into the poorly lit corridor. From the cells around her, some prisoners reached for the hem of her robe, begging for mercy…but she ignored them. _

_ She finally found the cell she wanted at the end of the channel; the girl…that usurping, disgusting girl…was lying on her cot, staring up at the dark ceiling. She wasn't crying, to Omorose's surprise, just looking up at the shadows as though they could tell her something…_

_ "You…" She hissed, producing a key from the bust o f her dress. _

_ The girl's eyes slid over to her and she sat up, startled. "Who are you?" She asked. _

_ Omorose felt her lips turn down, "The High Priestess. I've come to free you." _

_ "Why?" She asked, bringing her knees up towards her chin and staring at her with eyes the color like discs of precious stone. _

_ "It's my duty to protect the purity of the souls, in this life and past the shadow of death." She responded automatically. _

_ "That's not true…" The girl trailed off, "It might be your duty, but it's not why you're helping me…" _

_ "If I were you, I would hold my tongue." She hissed, gripping the bars and glaring at her. _

_ "Is this about Lord Seto?" _

_ Omorose couldn't stop herself from gasping. _

_ "You think I seek to steal his heart?" _

_ "It doesn't matter if you do, you already have!" Omorose snapped, her voice rising rapidly to a scream. _

_ Kisara didn't flinch. She rose from the cot and took a step forward, until they were only an arm's length apart, "That's not true." _

_ "Then what is!" She snapped back, gripping the bars so tightly her knuckles blanched. _

_ "Do you ever look into his eyes? He loves you more than life itself, and you can see it…feel it…Without ever having met you, I knew who you were just by looking at him." _

_ Omorose took a startled step backwards. _

_ "You're not here to free me…you're here to free yourself of doubt…" Kisara trailed off, "But, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to be his light." _

_ Angry, Omorose turned on her heel and began to walk forward, "Rot, then, down here if you want." _

The girl's hand landed on her shoulder with a touch so gentle she almost didn't feel it.

"You are only human; you faltered, as we all do."

Omorose shook her head, "He…really did love you…"

"In your own darkness, My Lady, you've forgotten the different kinds of love. You were his other half, the equal to complete him. His love for me was the love of a father; he wanted to protect me from the world…and even from himself. But it's my turn to protect him."

"Is he in danger!" She cried, fear rising up icily in her stomach.

"You have survived your trial, My Lady, and he must be seen through his. Do you trust me?" She asked, "To be his light?"

Tears ran from her hazel eyes, "I do."

"He hasn't forgotten you, My Lady, but you cannot see him through this shadow. In your place, I will. He's going to come home to you," She smiled radiantly, "I promise." And then faded back into the glistening gold of Horakhty's light.

* * *

He felt cold, despite the light rays of sunlight falling on him…and she felt cold in his arms…cold to match the silver of her hair and the chill of her unseeing eyes…

'_Kisara…forgive me…' _He thought to himself as he stared at her limp form, draped across his lap and held by his arms. _'I was weak…I wanted to imprison you…but not your _ka_...I wanted to hold you in my heart…to light the darkness of my soul…' _

Something whispered on the wind, _'Let me protect you with the light of my soul…'_

His eyes shot down in amazement even as an icy chill crept over his back. His head spun to the side and he shuddered as the shadows coalesced and took form…

"Zorc Necrophades is gone!" The Dark Priest Akhenaden moaned as if he were in pain, "But you Seto…in you…in you, my son, exists the power to undo Horahky!"

He stumbled forward, his aura ominous.

"Kill the Pharaoh and fill the world with shadow!" He shouted, lumbering another stride closer.

Seto felt his teeth grind together as hate, black and toxic, filled his heart; this man…who dared to claim he was his father…he hated him…Hated him with every fiber of his being and with such dark intensity that he scared himself.

"I can _feel_ it in you, Seto." He hissed, "Your hate, your anger…they can erase the stain of failure that has tainted our blood."

Cold sweat broke on the back of the High Priest's neck as the figure of shadow began to chant something under his breath, saying, "Seto, your flesh and blood are a part of me. And my parting gift to you is the power of my soul."

Seto felt the shadows of revenge and hate…the shadows of the human heart, begin to caress him.

"I call to the blood in your veins!" He shouted suddenly with passionate fervor as he took a step towards a seemingly endless chasm, "Feel my love and boil with my hatred of the damned Pharaoh!"

He dropped from the edge, into infinite darkness, crying out, "Become one with me, Seto! Become the King of Darkness!"

"FATHER!" Seto leapt up, Kisara's body falling to the ground as he leapt at the abyss, stopping at the edge to stare into the dark with sudden clarity.

* * *

Lungs burning, Atem bounded up the hill and over the destroyed ruins of palace, "Seto!"

Climbing over the shattered bricks, he felt an odd unease settle over him as he stared at the High Priest; he was standing on the cracked platform that used to be the floor of the throne chamber, and behind him stood a tablet engraved with the image of an impressive dragon. But the light…the beams of sun…didn't quite seem to touch him…

"I've been waiting for you, Pharaoh." He said, turning up his eyes and smirking. His cold gaze slid from Atem to the wreckage and back. Chuckling darkly, he commented, "Without your wealth or the symbols of your power, you're nothing more than a pathetic mortal."

"Seto…" Atem trailed off, his eyes narrowing.

As his High Priest threw his cape out from his shoulder, Atem felt the waves of hateful shadow wash over him; Seto's voice, echoing with Akhenaden evil, bellowed, "I'm going to kill you here and now and your head will be the crowning glory of my kingdom!"

"Here and now!" He shouted, "I challenge you to a duel for the Right of the Pharaoh!"

Atem felt his stomach churn sickly; he didn't know if he had the ba left to summon a monster strong enough to defeat it…he was completely defenseless…and if he fell, his kingdom…the world…would be plunged into eternal night…

"Duel start!" Seto cried as the stone tablet behind him exploded into white light that spiraled up into the form of a dragon.

'_The…White Dragon of Legend…'_ Atem thought, too spellbound by awe to feel the terror of his imminent death.

His gaze slid down to meet Seto's and he saw instantly what he had already felt: that, though his High Priest's conscious was lurking somewhere deep beneath the evil conscious of Akhenaden, he wasn't himself…The evil of his father had blanketed him…broken his will and taken over his body…

And deep in Seto's soul, he knew the same…his father…this monster, had taken Kisara, _killed_ her, stolen the Millennium Items and given over to darkness…for power…And he, as the son of this creature, shared in that dark heritage…

"Destroy him, Seto! Use the White Dragon!" Akenaden forced the High Priest's body forward as the blazing blue-white of the creature threw of rays of colored light.

"Stop, Seto!" Atem shouted, "You're being controlled by the Dark Priest! Resist it!"

The voice that echoed from him chilled the bones of the Pharaoh, "Behold the power that makes even the gods quake!"

The magnificent serpent gave a mighty cry of rage and turned its blue eyes on the Pharaoh.

TBC


	42. Egyptian Lotus Petal Nineteen

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Nineteen**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Yu-gi-oh, or Haruno Lynn.**_

The power of the dragon was like a physical blow and it pushed Atem back on his heels. Dust erupted in clouds around him, stinging his eyes and his already raw throat.

'_What incredible heka…'_ He thought as he glanced over his defensively raised arm,_ 'I have no choice but to fight…' _

He swung his arm to the right, forcing a stone tablet from the ruin as he shouted, "I summon the Dark Magician!"

Swirling purple and black magic merged to form the Mage, who stood protectively in front of his king. His eyes, pools of limitless knowledge, shone with intuition.

_'What a monster…a beast with the power to rival even the gods.' _His gaze slid back to his Lord; Atem's dark flesh was marred with deep lacerations and painful contusions. But more than that, his ba was nearly exhausted. His battle with Zorc had very nearly cost him his life, and even the mere summoning of the Mage himself was proving a significant strain. The question became not a matter of strength but of time…how long could the Pharaoh sustain him, and with the heka he had, how long could he fight for his King?

'_Mahado, don't aim for the dragon. Aim for the tablet; we might be able to finish this quickly.' _Atem told him through their shared bond.

'_Understood.' _He replied, raising his staff and flinging it forward.

"So…you aimed for the tablet." Seto smirked as an orb of color exploded, seemingly out of thin air.

The Dark Magician convulsed in midair and suddenly the lines of his body softened and he began to fade; Atem felt the shards of his destroyed tablet rain into his back, cutting fresh wounds and tearing open new ones.

_'He…was so much…faster…'_ Mahado's thoughts disappeared as he did, turning into wisps of smoky haze that were suddenly carried away.

"Now that you've lost your last servant, what will you do, Pharaoh?" Seto asked, crossing his arms smugly over his chest.

Atem stared back at him, and Seto cackled, "You pitiful excuse for a king! What do you have left?"

Another voice echoed from the body of the High Priest, "Prepare yourself, Pharaoh. The shadows are hungry for your pathetic soul! All those years of hatred are finally coming together to destroy you!"

"Seto…can you hear me?" Atem asked, cocking his head gently to the side to meet the man's gaze.

He saw the body of the High Priest…shiver. Only once, but enough to prove to him that despite the overwhelmingly evil presence of his father, he had.

"Even if you do defeat me," He continued, taking a step forward, "You can never truly be a king if you're ruled by darkness. Take my light, the light of my father, and even if you have to kill me, ask yourself what kind of person you are…what kind of _king_ you are. In the prison of your darkness, do you shine with hope still?"

"Attack and finish it, White Dragon!" Akhenaden's voice was shrill with urgency.

But the mighty beast only drew its head away and turned its gaze on Seto.

"Why…why won't you attack?" He demanded, fear racing up his spine.

The dragon turned away and suddenly began to dissolved into trails of silvery light; it faded entirely, disappearing. Even its image in stone grew hazy and faded to nothingness.

"What is this?" Akhenaden shouted hysterically to himself from the fortress of Seto's soul.

And then, suddenly through the dark of hate and fear and pain, there was a twinkling of white light that appeared in the distance; it erupted a moment later into a blazing sun of silver radiance, blinding the Dark Priest.

"Where is this light coming from?" He demanded as the brilliance took the shape of the dragon…and even further in the distance, the shape of a smiling girl as she stretched her hand forward, "You must not be captured by the shadows. Come with me."

Seto reached for her, his fingertips brushing her even across the impossible expanse and behind him, he heard his father's alarmed gasp.

"I…" The light cut through him, dissolving his body, and as he was washed away like a bloody stain, he thought, "I made a wish upon the Millennium Eye…make my son…king…"

And then he was gone and Seto was looking out into the world without the dark shadow of his father's will…without pain of guilt…

"My Pharaoh…"

"Akhenaden chose to sacrifice himself to pull you into the shadows with him…but you overcame it." Atem smiled at him as he turned to glance into the rising sun.

"The darkness has faded…" Seto began, sadness welling in his chest as he looked at the destroyed village…the scarred earth… "But it has left deep scars…"

"We've lost many lives for this victory," Atem agreed, "And we must keep a light in our hearts for them; but we need to look to the future now, as well."

He shook his head, feeling the end of his memories drawing near, "I have a favor to ask of you Seto." His hand went for the cord around his neck and he slipped the Millennium Puzzle off of his neck, "I want you to inherit the throne and become king."

"Then…you must duel me once more!" Seto replied, "I can't become King until I've defeated you!"

"I…" Atem's eyes dropped to the ground, "Don't have time."

His body began to fade into mist and he knew why: when three thousand years before he had sealed Zorc, his memories ended because his body had ceased to exist…it was only in the world of memory that he could see past it…and that world was fading…

He slipped the Item into Seto's hand and told him, "Take this, the symbol of the King, and become one. Restore peace to this land. It's up to you now, Seto…" His voice dimmed until it was only a whisper, "I'm counting on you."

And then…he was gone…

* * *

"Lord…Seto?" Isis trailed off, her eyes on the Pendant in his hands as he walked from the ruins of the Palace, "The Pharaoh…"

"Is dead." He replied, averting his eyes in respect and sorrow.

"But he lived long enough to bequeath his throne to you." She smiled despite her grief, "He trusted us into your hands."

The former High Priest nodded as he slipped the inverted pyramid over his neck; it hung heavily against his chest…a reminder that his duties were not to be taken lightly.

"Our people?" He asked.

"We have lost many, but," She smiled as she brought her hands up to the necklace that limned her slender throat, "I sense no wandering souls."

Seto nodded, the corners of his lips turning up; Omorose had seen them to their eternal rest and into the hands of the keeper gods. And because of her, the living could be tended to.

"S…Seto?" A figure appeared from the ruin; her red hair had fallen from its arrangement and hung messily across her shoulder. Her face was smeared with soot and dust, her bare hands and poorly protected feet were scratched, and her gown was ripped…but she was alive.

"O-Omorose…"

Her eyes sparkled with sudden light as she broke into a sprint, leaping into his arms and pressing her lips passionately against his. For a long moment, she hung there, caught in his balance and floating in her bliss. And then she realized that pressure against her chest had a familiar shape…

As he lowered her to the ground, she glanced down and saw, with horror and amazement, that he wore the Millennium Puzzle…

"Lord Atem…" She trailed off, already knowing the truth, "I must find my sister!"

Seto nodded, "I'll be waiting."

His hand lingered on her waist as she tore about of his grasp and towards the Temple of the Mother Goddess.

* * *

"Nathifa! Nathifa, where are you!" Omorose's cry was desperate as she climbed through the wreckage that had once been the entry arch into the Temple of Isis.

"Sister, please! I can _feel_ you," Tears ran down her face as she slid down the other side of the rubble; her energy was so faint…so dim… "Where are you!"

Her eyes fell on the prone form of a woman in a blood-smeared robe; a shriek of terror ripped through her throat as she scrambled over to the woman.

Her hands came down on her shoulder and even before she turned her over and saw the pallid white of her skin, she knew that her sister was gone…

"Nathifa…" She picked her body from the floor and laid it in her lap. She was so cold…so still…

"You sacrificed yourself for him…" Tears ran down her cheeks to splash against the deceased queen's, "For all of us…"

The room suddenly grew warm and hazy with a soft light and Omorose turned her head up, startled, to the alter; the water shone like liquid gold and threw prisms of color into the air. In the opalescent haze, she saw the figure of a tall woman with hair like silver water trailing behind her. Her eyes were glistening…soft red rubies against the warmth of her caramel flesh.

Her footsteps threw off warm ripples across the floor as she walked to the distraught elder Mubarak and leaned down to caress her cheek. She smiled radiantly as her hand fell away to reveal an orb of soft pink. She held it there for a moment before drawing it up to her chest like a precious opal.

"Mother Isis…" Omorose trailed off as the goddess stood and walked back towards the altar. The tiny orb in her hand shone for the briefest flicker of a second, and she saw the Mother Spirit take her sister's hand and lead her towards the glowing light…the Field of Reeds…

Smiling as she wiped away her tears, Omorose stood and laid her sister's body before the shrine. She prayed there for a moment, asking for the wisdom to guide her people and the strength of love that her husband would need. The road before them was a long one…but in the future she thought she could see a glimmer of faint hope…like the ember of the hearth, it would require care and diligence to grow in strength…but the seeds were already there.

Rising, she walked from the temple and into the sun…into the arms of her people and the arms of her husband, the King.

TBC


	43. Petal 20: Death Shall Hold No Dominion

_**Egyptian Lotus Part Twenty: Death Shall Hold No Dominion**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Yu-gi-oh, Haruno Lynn, or the Dylan Thomas poem that the title comes from. **_

Yami collapsed back in the chair, his chest heaving as he fought to control his breathing. His stomach churned nauseatingly and he gagged even as he smiled in relief. For a moment, it was all he could do to retreat back into the shared shell of Yugi's body and try to recover.

But even in the sanctuary of his own mind, he couldn't force his shaky knees to carry him to the chipped stone throne of his soul room. He fell forward, barely catching himself on the edge of the seat. He sank heavily against the cool floor and buried his head in his arms.

He could vaguely feel Yugi, who had been thrust back into the world of the living to gaze on the diorama, now swallowed with sand, and Ryo's peacefully sleeping form, descend into the murky half-space they shared.

He wasn't there for long before he heard Yugi's soft call echoing through their shared corridors, "Atem? Atem, where are you?"

He could hear the panic in Yugi's voice and he knew, through the connection he had dimmed, that his aibou thought he was gone forever…that he had left without a good-bye…

Guilt settled icily in his stomach again and he called, "I'm here, Yugi."

The shorter boy's footsteps grew to a rapid patter as he rounded the corner and flung himself into the soul room. He landed against Yami, hugging him hard with the kind of love only brothers could feel.

"Are you okay, Aibou?" He asked.

"Forget about me!" Yugi cried, pulling away, "Are _you_ okay?"

Yami opened his mouth to reply and suddenly paled. Turning away, he retched violently as he tried to rid a stomach that didn't exist of food that didn't exist.

Yugi's hand came down with reassuring weight on his heaving back. As the wave died back, he gasped, "I left her, Yugi…to face her nightmare alone…Ra, what have I done?"

"What you had to." Yugi replied, "And I know she'll understand, even if it takes her a little while."

He waited for a moment, before he said, "Isis…she's looking for you…"

He nodded his hand, taking a shaky breath even though he needed no air, and rising.

"If you're not ready, you don't have to." Yugi insisted.

His darker half smiled at him reassuringly and opened the door to walk into the light.

Isis smiled at him from his left, "My King."

He nodded at her as he rose from the chair.

"You've defeated the shadows once again." Her smile was brilliant.

"But this isn't over yet." He replied. He could just _feel_ it."

"There is one more trial you must overcome," She told him, "You've been reincarnated all of these time to finish this, to seal the shadows, and now it's time to stand before the gods and weigh you soul."

"But what about Yugi?" He asked, feeling defensive of the body his Aibou permitted him to use.

"This last rite is two-fold: you will duel for the _right_ to be judged by the gods, and then you will stand before them."

He nodded, clenching his fist at his side resolutely, "I'm ready."

* * *

Sakura bolted up in her bed, gasping for air. She shuddered, doubling over as if she were in physical pain. She threw of the blanket, feeling suffocated by its weight. And suddenly the room itself seemed to be closing in on her…

She flew through the door, her pace frantic. Her eyes failed to adjust to the darkness, and she tripped on the last set of stairs. Her knees collided with the tile, and she found she simply didn't have the strength to rise.

Solomon must have heard her fall against the ground, because he was beside her in an instant. "Sakura, are you alright?" He demanded, running out of the kitchen.

And Sakura suddenly realized that no more than an hour had passed since she had laid down…she was so sure she could feel her own life draining as the beat in Yami's chest faded to nothingness…

"I'm fine…" She replied through her ragged breathing, "I…I…need to talk to someone…"

He couldn't stop her before she had thrown open the door and disappeared into the night.

* * *

The knock on her door was no surprise. In fact, it was a bit of a relief.

Lynn opened it, glancing at her sister. It was unusual for someone to be out in the middle of the night in a sheer lace tank and shorts that were closer to underwear than outerwear. But she, again, wasn't surprised. And, really, who was she to talk? She was wearing a red lace mini.

"Let me guess," She said, "Waking up in the middle of the night, odd dreams, cold sweat, nausea..."

"How did you know?" Sakura asked, clearly surprised.

"I just got done throwing up." Lynn responded nonchalantly, opening the door wider, "Come on in."

Lynn showed her to the living room, part of the massive Kaiba Corp. building, and told her to make herself comfortable before disappearing into the adjacent kitchen.

"Coffee or something stronger?" The red-headed asked, rifling through the pantry.

"Stronger." Sakura responded, massaging her aching temple.

"Gotcha." Lynn said, pulling a bottle of wine from the cupboard. She grabbed two wine glasses with her free hand. Sitting down next to her sister, she poured a good measure of it into the goblet and passed it to the pink-haired female.

"Sorry about this. Seto doesn't like sake." She added.

"Just when you need Tsunade…" Sakura trailed off.

It might have seemed odd to the casual observer, had there been one, that Sakura was drinking. But both of them had been drinking since sixteen. The drinking age was fairly low in the shinobi nations because of the high mortality rate; the rationale being that if you were willing to die for your country, the government was going to let you drink…and dabble in a few other, less innocent indulgences.

"I know, right? I swear, from now on, I'm keeping that stocked." Lynn replied. "So, let me guess: Odd dreams about ancient Egypt feature a cast of people that bear a shocking resemblance to a few people we know. Am I close?"

"Frighteningly so. I wonder…what they're doing out in Egypt right now…"

"Do we really want to know?" Lynn asked, smirking, "Because I can tell you, if I have my way, there won't be a Seto Kaiba to run this business when I'm done."

"Don't you think you should wait a year or two? Then Mokuba could take it." Sakura replied playfully, pushing her half empty glass aside.

"But you know how I love instant gratification." The red-head smiled, tipping back her glass.

Her hazel eyes drifted to Sakura's chalice and she added, "Don't tell me you grew up to be a light weight."

"I apprenticed under Tsunade…you don't come out of that with any semblance of sobriety left." Sakura smirked, only half joking.

"Naturally." Lynn, having been in a similar position not many years before, knew that all too well: Tsunade drank with her students all the time. And for good reason-on a mission, a man might try to ply them with alcohol or drugs. And there was always the danger of something being slipped into their food or drinks. By the time they left her mentorship, they had unnaturally high tolerances for everything from sake to opium-based barbiturates.

The red-head leaned over, refilling her sister's glass.

"So…He left you, too." She finally muttered.

"Yeah." Sakura sighed.

"They can be morons." Lynn said.

"But I think they had the best intentions." Sakura offered.

"And is that going to stop you from kicking his ass when he gets back?" Lynn asked with a smirk.

"You know, I think it might." Sakura admitted.

"Oh!" Lynn's grin grew slightly with realization. "You have a different kind of _fight _in mind."

"Whoa! Hey now!" Sakura replied defensively, blushing bright red, "It's not…like that!"

"Are you seriously a prude? Where did Tsunade go wrong with you?" Lynn inquired, though her smile didn't fade.

"Okay, now I will have you know that I can be very…uh…fiery!" Sakura responded.

"Now that you mention is…that one day I ran into you outside of the ice cream shop you did smell _odd_."

Sakura's face reddened even further.

"So," Lynn asked, leaning in playfully, "Is he good?"

"I don't know!" Sakura replied.

"So…it was what? A hand job?"

More blood suffused into the younger Haruno's face.

"Relax," Lynn smiled, leaning back and bringing her glass to her lips, "I'm just joking. But, seriously, what brought you here?"

Sakura hesitated; that was a good question, and one that she didn't have an answer to herself. It didn't make a whole lot of sense considering that, until just recently, at the mere mention of her red-headed sister's name, her hand drifted to the dagger habitually strapped to her thigh (and, she realized suddenly, that the kunai wasn't there).

"It…felt like I should." She finally admitted with a shrug.

"Well, you know," Lynn said, swirling her glass and staring absently into the ruby-colored fluid, "I think if you hadn't come to me, I would have found you."

"What happened to us, Lynn?" Sakura finally asked.

The eldest Haruno turned her gaze up to the ceiling before she sighed, "I don't know. I guess…I can only hope it's not too late to go back."

"Of course it isn't!" Sakura replied.

Her head dropped back down automatically, her candy apple red hair falling around her shoulder. Her scarlet lips pulled up in a sincere smile as she lifted her glass, "To tonight."

"To tomorrow." Sakura added as the edged met with a crystalline sound.

"Saki, I have to ask…you know that he might not come back." Lynn finally said after a long, quiet moment.

"I know. But…I can't think like that."

"We're shinobi, Sakura," Lynn sighed, "Optimism is…foolish."

"Then I guess we're two fools." Sakura smiled.

Lynn didn't even try to suppress her reaction, "Hallelujah."

"What do you think, Lynn?"

"About what?"

"The whole thing."

"It's too much of a coincidence that we would both have these dreams on the same night. I think…that weirder things have happened, too. Maybe…being the incarnation of an ancient Egyptian queen isn't so bad."

Sakura thought about it…She had always rebelled against the idea of destiny. And maybe she would have been fighting against it still if it wasn't Yami in question; if it had been anyone else, or if it came to any other ending than the one she hoped for, she would. But the idea of being twined eternally with Yami…just felt…_right_.

"So…does fate bother you?" The pale, pink-haired female asked, not entirely sure why she let the query slip from her lips. Maybe she wanted justification.

"I'm not sure." Lynn admitted, "But, if it has to be, all the better that it's with Seto."

"What has romance done to us?" Sakura asked, sarcastically rolling her eyes.

"I can tell you one thing," Lynn said with a shrug, "It hasn't done a damn thing to my right hook."

"Are you implying something?" Sakura smirked.

"That depends," Lynn replied, "How good is your high kick?"

"Care to test it?"

"I stand silenced." Lynn smiled before suddenly turning serious, "One way, or another, Sakura, it's going to be okay."

The pink-haired kunoichi smiled despite herself, "I know."

TBC


	44. Authoress Notes

Dear readers,

As you know, Crystal Lotus is being co-authored by myself and ScarletRoseProdigy. There was a pre-existing agreement about what chapters and scenes would be written by whom and the last two were supposed to be her work. However, due to extenuating circumstances, Crystal Lotus is on hold. Let me take this opportunity to say that this story is in NO way canceled, deleted, or discontinued. This is a bump in the road, so to speak, that we, collectively as two friends and as two friends with a generous, loving, loyal fanbase. You guys have been good to us, with us through thick and thin. We appreciate it, and we hope we haven't disappointed you. As always, if you can stay with us, if you can be patient, thank you! And, if you can't, we apologize and wish you many happy stories to come.

On a more serious note, however, I will _not_ tolerate nastiness because of this hiatus. I've been fortunate that no one in any of the reviews so far as been exceedingly rude or hurtful, and I hope that you all continue to be mature and respectful. Please, though, if you're upset, tell _me_. ScarletRose has a lot on her plate right now, and we're asking for your understanding at this time. We appreciate your time and the energy and the good thoughts you've all poured into this story. But at this time, her attention needs to be somewhere else. Out of respect for her work and the time and effort she has already put into this chapters, I will not be taking over them. I hope you all understand. Please, if you have questions, concerns, or thoughts you'd like us to hear, put them into a review or a private message. Or, if you would like to, direct it to c r i m s o n k u n o i c h i y a h o o. c o m (minus the spaces). We're happy to talk to you guys individually, so don't hesitate.

With love,

YuhiSakura


	45. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Naruto, or Lynn, the private intellectual property of ScarletRoseProdigy.

Yugi stood under the devastatingly beautiful Egyptian sky for a long time, unnerved by the silence in his mind and in his heart. He knew he was coming to a fork in the road, but he didn't know what terrible choice might lay ahead of him. He longed, more than ever in that moment, for the sanctity of Domino City.

He tried not to think of the look of mingled grief and joy on Ishizu's face as she told them what must happen next: A duel to the death...Yami would battle for the right to enter the afterlife, after so many lingering, dark years...

"Hey, Yuge...we need to talk..." Joey's sharp accent cut into this thoughts and turned to face them, noting with a pang that Téa wasn't among them.

"Yugi, we just wanted to let you know that...you don't have to do this..." Tristan began gently.

"Yugi, I'll battle the Pharoah for you." Joey said, his face set in grim lines.

Yugi's chest ached at the compassion: he knew his friends loved the Nameless Pharaoh, too, and that the idea of saying good-bye was painful for all of them.

"Thanks, guys, but...this...this is my duel." He replied with a sudden ferocity.

Seto snapped with frightening speed, his hand closing around Yugi's throat as he hauled him up. "I didn't come all this way so you could duel your imaginary friend!"

Yugi felt his chest and stomach knot in fear even as Tristan and Joey moved forward; it would be so easy, he thought, to let them take care of it...to slip into the quiet of his mind and let Yami prove to Seto that there was more to the world that what mere eyes could see...It would be _too _easy. Even as he felt Yami rising, he shouted into the echoing corridors of his mind: '_STOP! Yami, I _need _to do this on my own...' _

His hand came down on Kaiba's and he said simply, "Kaiba, you know the truth so I won't try to convince you. But this duel is mine."

Seto dropped him with a guttural noise of disgust, "At the very least build a proper deck, then." He said, dropping a silver suitcase at Yugi's feet.

Yugi was touched, but he felt the heartbeat of the cards at his side more strongly than ever. He would not betray the magic of those cards by dueling with anything else.

"Thank you, Kaiba, but I have my deck."

There was a moment of eerie calm before the tumult of Kaiba's temper exploded one last time and he stormed away.

"What a jackass..." Tristan seethed.

"It's okay, guys." Yugi said with a sigh, knowing that Kaiba was hurting, too, whether he admitted it or not. In Yami, Kaiba had found a rival and a friend, and now that was all threatening to be ripped away...

And then, sensing his need to be alone, Tristan and Joey wandered back towards the warm, familiar camaraderie of Mokuba and Téa.

'_Do you resent me, Yugi?' _

_'How can I?' _Yugi asked, tears gathering his eyes at so many happy and sad moments, the many ups and downs that had tempered them, '_You gave me friends, made me believe in something...gave me the strength to stand up for it...' _

_ 'And now, on the eve of the end, do you hate me for the choices you will have to make?' _

_ 'Never. You are my brother, Yami. We make those hard choices because they have to be made, but that doesn't change things.' _

_ 'I fear, Yugi, that it might...' _Yami said sadly before suddenly fading away into the quiet of the twisted corridors they shared.

And under that beautiful Egyptian night, with the moon and the stars gleaming against the dark velvet sky, Yugi never felt so alone...

* * *

There was an eerie silence that pervaded the temple as they stepped inside, guided by Ishizu and Marik to an elaborately crafted stone platform. Carved upon the wall as an all-seeing-eye that radiated a quiet, but potent, will.

"Stand, if you will, Pharoah, before the Eye of Wdjat." Isis said, her hand swept out.

"Are you afraid, Pharoah?" Marik asked simply; there was no judgment, no mocking in his voice.

Yugi said nothing, feeling the fear of the Pharaoh, and his own, within him. What would come next? Whatever it was, he knew it would change everything...forever...

'Are you ready?' He asked, feeling the resounding wave of affirmation the Pharaoh sent him.

And he stepped forward to be consumed by the raw power of the gods. For a moment, he was floating in the chaos of light without dark to moderate it, and then he felt a strange relief as the light died back...

And he looked upon Yami, Atem, for the first time, standing across from his...his own form, his own body, for the first time in more than a thousand years...

"Pharoah, Yugi, stand before each other, light and dark, unbound, and duel for the right of judgment." Isis said,.

"Pharoah..." Yugi trailed off, his fingertips trailing his Other's arm.

"Are you ready?" Yami asked, the taste bitter in his mouth.

Yugi nodded, pulling his deck from the holster at his thigh and taking his place.

"It begins..." Marik breathed.

"I will show you no mercy, Yugi." Yami said, thinking to himself, 'Because I love you, my brother.'

"I wouldn't have it any other way, partner." Yugi said, hoping with all his might that Yami could feel how ready he was to stand with him as his equal.

Yugi and Yami drew in rapid sequence, with the first round going to Yami. Discarding his Gaia the Swift Knight, he special summoned The Tricky and set his Bounce card face down on the field.

Yugi quickly scanned his hand, selecting Green Gadget as his first monster and activating its special effect to summon Red Gadget to the field. Thinking quickly, he set down Stronghold the Moving Fortress face down and activated his Swords of Revealing light in an attempt to stop Yami's The Tricky.

"I admire your skill, partner, but you will have to do better." Yami smirked as he Rebellion.

"I select your Green Gadget!" He shouted as the monster reeled wildly on Yugi.

"I activate Stronghold the Moving Fortress!" Yugi cried out as the card on the field flipped.

The activation switched the card to a trap, and stopped the Green Gadget; but because it was his own monster, he was dealt a devastating 600 points of damage to his Life Points.

He was far from finished, though. Paying 1000 of his Life Points, Yugi summoned his Yellow and Red Gadgets in defense mode through the magic card Ties of the Brethren. These added an additional 2000 attack points to his Stronghold the Moving Fortress.

"Stronghold, attack!" He shouted, realizing instantly he had made a devastating mistake.

"Not so fast!" Yami's hand flew out, his face down card flipping up. "I activate Bounce to transfer your Swords of Revealing Light to your own field!"

Yugi bit down hard on his lip and realized with a grudging resignation that his only options were to move his monsters into defense mode and end his turn.

Yami smirked to hide his pain; he hated doing this to his partner, and deep in his chest he felt the resentment of all his years building and the tears in the corners of his eyes threatening to fall...What would Sakura think of him if she saw him now? Smiling at someone's pain?

He forced those thoughts away as he drew and played Tricky Spell 4, which allowed him to tribute his monster, the Tricky, for Tricky Tokens equal to the number of Yugi's monsters. He sacrificed three of them, biting back joy and pain, as he summoned Obelisk the Tormentor.

"Behold the power of a god, Yugi!" He shouted as the monster obliterated the Stronghold and shattered Yugi's Life Points, leaving his with only 1400.

He watched as the destructive blast settled , but he couldn't bring himself to look into Yugi's eyes as the young man set down three cards and and summoned the Silent Swordsman.

Yami's eyes narrowed as he selected the Card of Sanctity. It's properties allowed both players to draw until they held six cards. Deciding then that he needed to act, he ordered his god card to attack the Silent Swordsman.

Yugi's face lit up as he activated Ground Erosion.

"This card was just what I needed," He began, "because for each turn that passes, your Obelisk loses five hundred attack points."

"Even so," Yami replied grimly, "That won't save your Swordsman."

"But this will!" Yugi beamed as he activated Turn Jump and advanced the turn counter by three for each player. "And because my Swordsman gains five hundred attack points for each turn, your Obelisk and he now stand equally."

"Brilliant move, Yugi, but I knew that's what you would do! I activate my Summoning Clock trap and tribute my Tricky Token to summon one monster for each turn that has passed."

Yugi paled, realizing he had just set Yami up for a perfect domino fall...

"I summon Queen's Knight and King's Knight and together they allow me to summon Jack's Knight!"

An icy chill passed down Yugi's spine as he watched Yami's smile widen, "And because I still have one summon left, I choose to bring to the field, Slifer! The Sky Dragon!"

The field exploded in light and color and the rippling tsunami of power.

"And because I hold three cards in my hand, Slifer's attack points jump to a devastating 3000." Yami concluded, his heart swelling with love and pride and power as he watched the two god-beasts.

"I activate Ambush Shield and tribute my Red Gadget to increase Silent Swordsman's defense points to 4000." Yugi said, feeling almost helpless...He knew Yami too well to not know what was coming next...

Yami's Knight surged forward, his Queen and King annihilating his Green and Yellow Gadget monsters before Yami tribute them and his Jack's Knight.

"And now I summon forth the Winged Dragon of Ra!" Yami cried before he began to recite the long, lyrical spell to activate it.

"The Pharaoh...having his memories unlocked to him as increased his skill beyond belief." Ishizu sighed in wonder.

"It won't be long now, sister...before it is all decided..." Marik breathed.

TBC


	46. Chapter 22: The Tempering

Chapter 22: The Tempering of Eternal Bonds

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Naruto, or any of the characters, affiliates, etc, or the name of the chapter, which is a twist on a Yu-Gi-Oh! Episode title. Also, Lynn Haruno is the private intellectual property of ScarletRoseProdigy. Thanks!

Atem played Pot of Greed and drew the two allotted cards. But below the platform, another duel was beginning...the battle of hearts...

"It is said," Ishizu began, her eyes distant, "The the Nameless Pharaoh was unmatched in his power. There was no soul, evil or kind, in the kingdom that dared face him. The strength of his sword and his will were unmatched, as was the skill of his strategy."

"It makes sense. The God Cards are the most powerful monsters in the game. If you are undefeated, then why wouldn't history remember you? A god among men..." He turned, suddenly, deciding he'd had enough. "Come along, Mokuba."

"Where do you think you're going!?" Joey hissed.

"Tell me, loser, do you know of a way to defeat the gods? Because no duelist here has managed it." Seto snapped back.

He could just imagine the look in Lynn's eyes...how she would order him to stay because Yami was his friend, his ally...

"This match will be decided by Fate and the strength of their bond." Ishizu interrupted, "If the Pharaoh is ready, Yugi will win and free him. If not, he will be bond to this world for another five thousand years...and endless cycle that can only be broken by the Chosen One..."

Her eyes flickered to Yugi.

"Well, then, I'll offer my services when this weakling fails!" Seto cried out, his eyes full of fire as they met Yami's.

"Why would you leave, then, Kaiba, if I'm losing?" Yugi asked.

"I only want to watch him defeated if I'm the one doing it." The blue-eyed CEO responded coolly.

"But you two have a bond, Kaiba. You can't deny that..."

Unbidden, the image of the Pharaoh pushing the Millennium Puzzle at his wormed its way into his mind. And with it came the images of a beautiful, red-haired beauty in all her glory, looking over the kingdom...The happy faces of his people...the private tears he shed for his Pharaoh...

"Don't worry, Kaiba," Yugi continued, standing tall, "Because I know how to defeat the God Cards!"

But even as he spoke those words, Ishizu felt her chest flutter and knew that fear had slipped into his heart. "He is afraid..." She whispered, the words so pained as they slipped through her lips.

"You can do it, Yugi!" Tristan cried as Marik's hand came down on his arm.

"Your words mean nothing here..." His voice dripped with sympathy and the apology he couldn't give...

"Yeah..." Joey stammered, "Facing those cards..."

"Is like facing Judgment..." Marik said.

Yugi looked down at his friends and for the first time, allowed himself to look at his heart. He had tried so hard to follow in Yami's footsteps...to be brave enough and strong enough to defend those he loved...And now, just when he thought he was getting close to it...when he could taste that moment...he realized how far away he actually was...

"Yugi, why are you afraid?" Yami asked, tenderness suddenly leeching into his voice, "I have taught you to trust in the Heart of the Cards and to take heart in the decks that you build. I know you can feel your monsters with you, Yugi. And your friends."

"You're right, Yami...I gained my strength from you, but I also took on the pain that was meant for you..."

He saw the hurt in Yami's eyes, but he couldn't stop now...

"I don't regret it. Not any of it..." Yugi said, as he drew his hand.

'_And that,' _He thought to himself as he looked upon his Darkness, '_Is why I have to beat you.' _

"One more turn has past and now my Swordsman has an attack strength of 3000. And now I tribute my Magnet warriors Beta, Alpha, and Gamma to summon Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!"

"Fatal mistake, Yugi!" Yami replied as Slifer's special ability was activated.

"Not quite!" Yugi countered, activating his Mirage Spell; the magic card negated the god-beast's special effect and added an astonishing 2000 Life Points to his counter.

Kaiba, below, remarked, "Impressive. But it will take more than that..."

'_And I intend to give more than that...' _Yugi thought as he laid two cards face down and ended his turn.

"Wait..." Joey piped up, "Why wouldn't he destroy Obelisk?"

"Yeah...isn't he playing with fire here..." Tristan agreed.

Yami smirked, bits of conversation floating up to him. Yugi's monster could destroy Obelisk, but Ra and Slifer were still beyond him...

"Enough of these games!" Kaiba shouted, "Show us your strategy!"

Yami smirked as he drew; holding four cards, his Slifer's attack points rose to 4000. Valkyrion and Silent Swordsman were excellent cards, and he knew that...but they paled in comparison to the power of the gods...

"Slifer, destroy his Swordsman!"

Yugi's knee jerk response was to activate his waiting trap, only to be reminded a fraction of a second later by Yami that Slifer was immune to trap cards.

The attack knocked 1000 Life Points off of his counter, leaving him with 2400 to try and pull out a win. But a fraction of a second later, his Valkyrion was also annihilated to the tune of 1500 Life Points in damage.

With his counter down to 900 Life Points, Yugi waited, breath held in anticipation, before joy rushed over him.

Obelisk was ordered to attack, activating Yugi's magic card Mirage Ruler.

"If all of my monsters are destroyed in one turn, this card brings them back to the field and turns back the clock on any damage I might have received!" He cried out, "I lose 1000 Life Point to use it, but it's well worth it!"

His counter climbed back to 2400.

"Very well, then." Yami sighed, "I end my turn."

Beneath them, Seto sighed in frustration, "This dork is stalling, trying to find a weakness. But Yami already eliminated the only weakness the gods's have: the need to tribute three monsters for each card. He's already lost."

"Not necessarily." Ishizu remarked, eyes glued to the battle, "Only a strong body and soul could bear the burden of a soul tormented for five thousand years. And because Yugi has been tempered by that suffering, he can work miracles...He can win."

Yugi, oblivious to the conversation below him, began to wonder to himself, '_If I was the Pharaoh, what would my face down card be? Why would I have saved it this long...Unless...If it's Mirror Force...I know how to do it...' _

The gamble was huge. If he turned out to be wrong, Yami would win in the next turn and be doomed to remain bound for another five thousand years...

He felt the sudden thrum of life, in and through him, the Heart of the Cards...He had made this deck to free Yami from his torture, and now he had to trust in it.

"Go! Silent Swordsman!"

"Not so fast, Yugi!" Yami cried out with a smirk, "I activate Mirror Force!"

The resultant backlash wiped Yugi's side of the field clean.

Yami opened his mouth to declare victory when he realized his Aibou was smiling.

"Thank you, Yami." Yugi said, "I needed you to do that. And now I can destroy the Egyptian God Cards!"

"I play Magnet Reverse to resummon Valkyrion!"

Yami watched in horror as Slifer's ability was automatically activated. In that same moment, Yugi played Magnet Force and redirected the blast at Obelisk, obliterating it.

"And I'm not done! I de-fuse my Magnet Warrior to activate Slifer's ability again!"

Three separate monsters meant three separate blasts and in an heartbeat, the Egyptian gods had faded from the field of battle...

"You told me something once, Yami." Yugi smiled, "That to beat a strong opponent, you need to turn that power back on them."

Yami smiled, his chest and heart swelling with pride, "And that, Yugi, is how a true duelist thinks!"

TBC


	47. Authoress' Notes: Well, this is

**_A/N:_**Let me begin by saying that this could not be more embarrassing if I was trying to make it more embarrassing. There was a single word error in the very first chapter that I never even kind of began to catch up until now. Please take a moment to mock me, gasp in awe, mock me some more, make some bad jokes, continue mocking me, get some soda, mock me and then return to this message. _  
_

Are we cool?

Awesome.

Now then, in the very first chapter you guys will read a description about Sakura's last vacation and note that in the previous version, it was Sasuke who almost eviscerated her. Okay? Now, go ahead and erase that word completely from your memory databank and replace it with "Sai". Just forget that it was ever there. And, yes, this will be important.

So, go ahead, mock me some more, and thanks for everything, guys!

Sincerely,

Your very embarrassed co-authoress.


	48. Chapter 22: At Road's End

The Ceremonial Duel had ended.

At the end, the world's best duelist, two souls emerged in one body, only one had come out victorious.

Yugi Motou himself.

Friends that had, not only watched the duel between light and dark, but had watched the two fighters grow up together and become closer then brothers, were speechless. No one could have predicted a simple magic card would determine the outcome of fate. Did they cheer, knowing the other would disappear forever? There was no other choice.

They all knew this would be the outcome. They all knew that they would be losing a dear friend. But, he wouldn't completely disappear. He would still exist in their hearts and memories. He may be physically gone, but he would live on within them.

However, there was one person they were worried about and she was back in Domino.

"My name is Atem!" Yami stood before the double tomb doors as they began to open, the light spilling out from the other side. Ancient Egypt stood before him in all its glory, his family waving with smiling faces, ushering the Pharaoh to come back to his rightful place. Yami didn't look back as he took one stop forward, knowing it would be too heart wrenching to say good-bye for the final time, hoping his friends understood that, and became enrobed into his former Pharaoh entire.

However, he froze upon his name being shouted from behind. He didn't look back as Tea, Tristen and Joey bared their souls out. Yami took it all in, lowering his head down to fight back the tears that threatened to blur his vision. He could hear them crying as they told him how much they loved him, how he was like a brother to all of them, how they would keep him close to their hearts. He wouldn't fade away, no matter what. He found himself smiling at this.

_Thank you Joey, Tristen, Tea_. He thought._ I am proud and happy to call you my best friends._

On the other side, Yami could see his family, still smiling, still waiting for him to cross the threshold.

With returning to his past on his mind, he took another step.

"We'll tell Sakura you said good-bye."

Again, the Pharaoh stopped at the sound of Tristen's voice mentioning the pink haired kunoichi who had taken his heart and had fallen madly in love with. His amethyst eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat as an image of Sakura flashed in his mind. She became the only thought blocking him from the goal he came to accomplish.

Her bubble gum pink hair, the way it swayed in the wind, its soft texture on his fingertips, the way she toyed with it when she became shy and nervous, the way it softly caressed his skin while making love, every memory flashed before his eyes. Her sparkling emerald eyes, they way they stared into his own, expressing everything she didn't need to say, how beautiful they were when it reflected the moonlight. Then there was her pretty face, her pink flushing cheeks when she smiled, her soft angelic laugh, that beautiful smile and the way it lit up her features.

Yami's heart pounded, like it was breaking piece by piece with each memory.

Was this how she was feeling now, waiting back in Domino, wondering if she would ever see him again? Was her heart breaking into pieces remembering all the happy times they spent together? Now, of all times, he could clearly see what he did to her. Now he fully understood what he did to her by just up and leaving without telling her a single word.

Sakura was perfect. More than perfect. She was possibly too good for him. They lived in two separate worlds: she a ninja and he the Pharaoh of Egypt. But that didn't stop the way he felt about her. He didn't care about what she was of what he was for that matter.

Sakura meant so much to him. He had never been in love before but he was no longer a stranger to the feeling. He was sure about the way his heart raced for her. He needed her in his life. He needed her as much as he needed Yugi, his Hikari. Both of them were the reasons he continued to exist. Without them, he didn't know what he would do. Before, that didn't bother his thoughts.

Now, however, was a different story.

"My Pharaoh." A voice reached his ears, one that was familiar, that tugged on his heart much like his pink haired love. Slowly lifting his eyes, he took in the slender figure the voice belonged to, the sparkling green eyes and finally that soft light colored hair...Sakura.

The woman standing before him was the woman he couldn't get out of his mind. And, while he knew they were only slightly similar, he knew the two women were more different then what he physically saw. They both had two completely different lives, but yet he couldn't stop staring.

"The tomb is collapsing!"

"We need to get out of here before we're buried alive!"

The shouting voices of his friends behind him reached his ears and he knew they were in trouble, but unfortunately, he was too late to help them. He had his own dilemma, and that was the tomb doors slowly closing behind him.

"My Pharaoh?" Sakura, who was known by another name in this world, approached him, concern written on her face. "Is something troubling you?"

The words appeared in his mind, his lips parted to speak those words, but his voice was nowhere to be found.

"Is this not what you wanted?" Her sweet voice made his heart shatter and he fought back the tears threatening to surface.

"I wanted to be," He started to whisper before gathering his courage. "with my family."

Even though this was what he wanted for so long, to regain his long lost memories of his past, this world was not for him. He belonged with his friends, with Sakura, the woman he loved. And, though he knew at one point in time he was in love with the beautiful woman in front of him, his true love was waiting back in Domino for him.

The hurt was apparent in her emerald orbs and he felt truly sorry, but a smile curled on her lips. "Let's bring the Pharaoh home. Be happy, my love." A small tear slipped down her cheeks as she and her fellow priests began to usher a spell.

Outside, Yugi turned and watched everything collapse, his body doing everything in its power to keep him from either turning around or falling to his knees. His hand curled into a fist that started shaking, tears rolling down his cheeks.

His friends stood around him, silently supporting him during this tough time.

"Come on, Yug." Joey spoke softly. "Let's go home."

Yugi nodded, wiping away any evidence of tears.

He felt odd without the weight of the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. He had it for so long and spent so many hours putting it together to unlock not only the secrets of the item, but the person who became like a brother throughout the years. Now it just felt...weird. What would he do now without it? More importantly, what would he do now, now that his other half was gone?

Though a feeling kept tugging at this chest, he couldn't put his finger on what could cause it. He kept walking forward, resisting the urge to look back, knowing that was the only way he could move on.

"Have room for one more?" That familiar deep voice drifted into Yugi's ears, that temptation of not looking back flew out the window.

When he did, his smile went a smile long and then some.


	49. Chapter 23: Hearts Burst into Fire

_Inspired by Hearts Bursts Into Fire By Bullet For My Valentine_

(Yami Yugi X Sakura Haruno & Lynn Haruno X Seto Kaiba)

_**Disclaimer**__:_ We **DO NOT** own Naruto or Yu-Gi-Oh! We **DO** own Lynn Haruno so no touchie!

"Sakura, stop pacing. They should be here any minute."

The kunoichi in question turned from the reflection in the window to face her smiling sister, who looked as calm as ever even though she too was waiting on somebody.

"How can I _not_ pace?" Sakura sighed, throwing her hand through her short locks. "I hate not being able to do anything. Just sitting here is driving me crazy. And besides, how the hell are you staying so calm?"

Lynn chuckled lightly at her sister. "I'm a shinobi, Sakura. As are you. You know as well as I do the rules about emotions. No matter what the situation, one has to remain calm so control can be kept."

"I'd rather _not_ get a lecture, thank you." Sakura rolled her eyes, gazing out the large window, her heart praying for an incoming plane that carried her friends and, hopefully, the man she loved. "And besides," She added. "This isn't a life or death situation like back at home. So screw control."

The redheaded Haruno laughed again. "Everything will be fine, Saki. Trust me, I'm just as nervous as you. ANBU rules are just harder to break." A small smile curled onto her lips as she, too, gazed out hoping for the plane that carried her lover and the boy she considered her son.

She knew, all too well, how her sister was feeling.

Waiting for your family to come back from a far away land took a toll on the heart. It was her fault in the first place that Sakura knew that heartbreak. If Lynn had never left, maybe it would have been easier for her younger sister to trust the people around her.

She glanced over at Sakura, seeing her hands folded lightly and the worry reflecting in her emerald orbs.

She couldn't believe Yami would just up and leave the way he did. To not say a word and then leave Sakura with the option of him coming back or not? That was unacceptable, no matter who you are. Of course, she wasn't one to talk, but she eventually came back, even though Sakura found her first. And Yami knew about Sasuke turning his back on her and then he goes and does the same thing?

Then again, wasn't Kaiba doing the _exact_ same thing to her? Kaiba knew about Lynn's past and about a previous relationship that left her alone and heartbroken, but yet even he up and left without a word. Just the thought of that made the redhead sigh out of disgust.

Lynn placed a hand on the younger Haruno's shoulder. "At least _try_ to remain somewhat calm, okay?"

All Sakura could return was a nod, not even being able to look at her sister. She knew being a nervous wreck wasn't the best way to greet her friends but being calm was easier said than done, no matter how nice Lynn was about it.

Unlike her, Sakura had more to be worried about then just her friend's safe arrival.

Lynn didn't have to worry about permanently losing her lover. Once Kaiba came back, she would be free to keep living her life with the man she loved.

Sakura, however, might not be able to have that luxury.

That thought alone was enough to break her heart.

She couldn't believe she was in this situation again, for the third time.

First, Lynn up and disappears from her life and then, like magic, reappears in the least likely place of Domino. Then, Sasuke gives into power and abandons his friends and village with probably no chance of turning back. And now, Yami, the love of her life, the one who woke up her heart, might not be coming back at all.

This was what he wanted, after all. To know who he was, where he came from, to regain his memories he lost so long ago. But...at what price? Would he truly forget about her? Would he just leave like everyone else in her life?

She bit her lip out of frustration and moved away from the window to sit down. A fire raged in her stomach and the need to hit something was strong. And that something she wanted it to be Yami. She loved him with all her heart, but for him to up and leave her? That was a low blow to anybody.

_If_ he came back, and that was a big if, although she would be happy to see him, he would deserve to get hit, hard. And then she would bitch at him and possibly threaten him. But if him coming back actually _did_ happen, would she be able to hit him? It was an odd dilemma, but one that had truth behind it. She had no problem hitting anyone else, her best friend, her sister even. But this was Yami. Could she really work up the courage to give him the punishment he deserved?

With a soft sigh, Lynn took a seat by her sister, trying to put on a brave face, for Sakura's sake. She could only imagine how the pinkette was feeling at the moment.

Actually, she didn't need to imagine.

Although she had no right to speak about it, Lynn _did_ know what it was like to be abandoned by the man she loved.

Her mind took her back to that dark, moonlit night when her heart broke for the first time. She hated going down memory lane, but when she did, she thought about those piercing red eyes that looked upon her as if _she_ were the enemy, as if _she_ was stopping him from completing the mission that she knew nothing about.

To this day, she couldn't comprehend the reason _why_ Itachi murdered his family or _what_ the actual reason was. What she _did_ know, however, was that was the last time she ever saw Uchiha Itachi again, and the last time she confessed her love for him.

Coming back to reality, she could understand what Sakura was feeling, although she wouldn't voice it.

The _real_ question was, why _exactly_ did Kaiba go to Egypt? She knew the CEO well and knew that he didn't believe in the ancient past or the Millennium items or anything else of that matter. So...why did he go? Did he have a sudden curiosity for it and just didn't want to tell her? Besides that, why didn't he want her to go with him? He just left her alone yet he took Mokuba.

_Stupid idiot, _she thought, biting down upon her bottom lip slightly.

"Now arriving from Egypt..."

As soon as the PA announcement went off, both hazel and emerald eyes shot open, hearts skipping a beat and both bodies flew from the seats. Both Haruno's rushed to the gate, not having to worry about a big crowd. But they could have cared less about that. With eyes glued to the gate, the only thing they cared about was waiting for see their loved ones return home, where they belonged. However, there was one that bordered on the option of coming home, and part of Sakura was ready to burst into tears. If Lynn hadn't been there with and for her, there was no doubt that the pinkette would have returned home to Konoha already. She had been through enough heartbreak.

But, she decided to give life the benefit of the doubt. Not only that, but love made people do stupid things. But, no matter what, Sakura didn't regret a thing.

As for Lynn, she already knew the first thing she was going to do and that was making sure the boy she considered a son was all right and in one piece. She loved Kaiba, and she would show that, but Mokuba was her life as well and Kaiba took him without a word. He would _definitely_ be hearing about that later. For the moment, she would just be grateful that both of them were alive and well.

One by one, their friends came out of the gate. Joey, Tristen, Tea, with each one the smile on Sakura's face got wider. She rushed to their side, expressing how great it was to see them and how relieved she was to see everyone was all right.

"Lynn!" The sound of Mokuba's voice reached the redhead's ears and as soon as he came into sight, the tears fell down her cheeks. She wasted no time in embracing the younger Kaiba, falling her to her knees "I missed you!" She smiled, sniffling. "I missed you too, Moki. I'm glad you're all right."

"Well then, I guess you didn't miss me at all then." That voice was unmistakable. Standing up and wiping away her tears, Lynn just smiled and laughed softly. Her eyes landed on her blue-eyed lover and her heart skipped a beat. As cheesy as it sounds, it was almost like she fell in love all over again. And she wasn't the type of girl who believed in love at first sight, especially since when she first met Kaiba, it was _far_ from love at first sight.

"Don't be an idiot." As she went to embrace Kaiba, trying to fight the decision of whether or not to slap the holy hell out of him, she caught the sight of tri-colored hair.

"Yugi." Sakura softly spoke her friend's name, reaching out to hug him tightly. When she caught a glimpse of his face, her heart immediately sank. There wasn't much of a sparkle in his eyes, and she could see the heartbreak and the loneliness he had no doubt been suffering the entire place ride back home.

And, with that one glimpse into his eyes, her nightmare became real. Her head sank, the happiness she felt when she saw her friends became non-existent.

This was just her luck. Why did she even bother letting love into her life? All it did was come back to bite her in the ass and make that little voice in the back of her head say I told you so.

_Sakura_... Lynn hated seeing her sister this way. Seeing that depressed, broken expression on her face made her think back to the night that she left her younger sister behind, without a word. Was _that_ the face she made? Did that heartbroken expression take over Sakura's life when she found out her only sister may not ever return? Lynn's fist clenched. _Yami...how could you?_ _Was the past_ so _much more important to you? _A small growl escaped Lynn's throat as she turned her attention away from Sakura. However, when she did, her eyes went as wide as they could possibly go.

Sakura had become lost in her own thoughts. She hated the way she felt. She hated how her heart was breaking into pieces...again. The idea of going back home didn't sound so bad now. Maybe she should. It was better then staying in a place that made her unhappy.

"Sakura."

Said kunoichi's heart stopped. She knew that voice that drifted into her ears. Her entire body froze, like she became rooted to the spot.

"Sakura."

That deep voice spoke again, making her eyes widen.

It couldn't be...could it?

The look of Yugi's face had told her the answer.

So was she imagining it?

"Please...look at me."

_No_, she thought. _I... I don't want to. What if I get hurt again?_

At first it seemed like it was happening against her will, like her fear was holding her back. But slowly, like an invisible force was pushing her chin up, her eyes saw the boots, the pants, the chest she's hugged, the arms that wrapped around her and the face she fell in love with. Her heartbeat raced, her vision slightly blurry due to the tears. She was looking right at him, but she was still having trouble believing he was real.

Yami knew this would happen. He knew this whole ordeal would be hard on her and there wasn't a moment that passed that he didn't regret putting her through this. He knew she would hate him, and that was okay. He deserved it for what he did. Even after finding out about her life, he still went and broke her heart when he left her behind without a word.

But if it wasn't for her, and the love that he felt for her, he wouldn't be standing here, more then ecstatic to see the love of his life, the woman who changed him for the better. All he wanted to do now was look at her, to hold her, to apologize.

As if he could read her mind, he wasted no time approaching her, placing his hands on her cheeks to wipe away her tears.

Sakura could feel his touch. She could feel his presence. That smell was unmistakable. And the way he made her body react, she knew he was there. After gathering the courage, her eyes met his, emerald to amethyst. He was real. He had really come back to her. Her wish actually came true. The smile that she fell in love with lit up Yami's face.

For the moment, no one mattered but the two of them.

"Sakura, I'm so happy - ..."

A loud clap echoed off the walls, making the small group of people only able to gasp.

Sakura's hand had went flying across Yami's face, leaving behind a hand shaped red mark. Yami's purple eyes almost flew from his skull.

His attention locked on Sakura unable to speak.

"How could you?" The pinkette spoke softly, both her hands clenched into fists, her eyes downward to the floor. "How could you just...leave me behind?" Her voice started to grow, her eyes shooting up to face her lover, gathering her strength. "How fucking dare you! After everything I've told you about my life, after opening all those doors! I've told you about the people who's abandoned me, who turned their backs on me, and you do the same thing!" Hot tears cascaded off her cheeks. "What the hell were you thinking? Has everything we've gone through meant nothing to you?"

"Of course not." Was the only reply Yami could fit through before Sakura continued.

"Then why the hell didn't you tell me?"

Now he was silent again.

"Why didn't you just take me with you? You could have just told me the truth. You stabbed me in the back, Yami. Did you really think it would be easy if you came back? I could...almost...hate you right now."

"And you have every right to." Yami didn't step back from Sakura and didn't even fear her. He waited too long to be able to hold her again and there was no way in Hell he was waiting any longer. "You're right. I knew coming back wouldn't be easy. I knew you would feel like hating me and no longer trusting me and I understand that.

"But, _you're_ the reason I came back, Sakura. All I could think about was my love for you and how badly I wanted to be by your side again. Before I met you, yes, I wanted to know about my past. I even considered going back. But once I saw you, and found out we were destined to be, I refused to stay away from you. I know no amount of apologies will fix what I caused but I will try everyday to make it up to you. I promise. I love you, Sakura Haruno."

What were once tears of pure frustration had turned into tears of happiness. Yami's touching words flew straight to her heart. Yes she was still pissed off, but she loved him. She was madly in love with him. All she wanted was for him to return home to her. And she finally got what she wished for. She threw her arms around him and buried her face into his chest, taking in his natural scent that always made her feel at ease. "I love you too, Yami. Welcome home."

Friends watched on and smiled when the outcome was a happy ending. For a second, the situation seemed unpredictable. It could have gone either way. But when the tension was gone, the thickness of the air disappeared.

"You're very lucky Yami." Lynn spoke, catching the Pharaoh's attention. "I was about to kick your ass from here to kingdom come."

Yami just chuckled and nodded.

And she spoke the truth. There was no way she was going to stand there and watch her sister get her heart broken. But Sakura was a grown woman now with her own mind and everything worked out in the end so Lynn just smiled and watched on.

Seeing her only sister happy was the greatest sight in the world.

She was so distracted by her sister that she didn't even notice the silent plan going on between the Kaiba brothers.

"Ready to go home, Lynn?" Mokuba spoke up, taking the redhead by the hand.

"That sounds wonderful." She replied, relieved to be holding the boy's hand.

They both took a step before Mokuba stopped abruptly.

"Oh, wait a sec. We can't go yet."

Confusion lit Lynn's features.

"What do you mean we can't go yet?"

The younger Kaiba brother chuckled.

"You need to turn around first."

"What?"

Having no idea what he was up to, Lynn turned around only to stop in her tracks, having a hard time believing what she was seeing.

Seto Kaiba, the CEO of KaibaCorp, was down on one knee, a black velvet box in his hand, opened to reveal a brightly shining diamond rind.

"I've never loved anyone the way I love you, Lynn. I didn't think I ever would. I may not show it that much, but you've made me realize I need to start appreciating the little things. And I know we fight, but I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you. Going to Egypt and finding out the past opened my eyes. It showed me that, even though I don't believe in it and I probably never will, destiny threw us together. You and me were meant to be with each other, and that I will always believe in. After all, who else could put up with me?"

A small chuckle came from his throat, which made the smile on Lynn's face tug at Kaiba's heart happily. He missed that.

"Will you marry me?"

It wasn't a sappy, cheesy romantic way to propose like you see in movies and read in books. It was the perfect simple way to propose that showed his love for her in his own way and it was enough to get Lynn's heart racing and made the tears waterfall down her face.

She couldn't believe what was happening. This was the last thing she expected out of Kaiba. But, without giving it anymore thought, she replied, "Yes. Yes, Seto Kaiba, I'll marry you!"

The beautiful rock was slipped onto her finger and the sound of applause filled the air as the now engaged lovers embraced.

"_Now_ we can go home." Mokuba laughed.

"That sound's like a wonderful idea." Yami smiled, keeping his arm around Sakura. "Care to join me?"

The pinkette smiled, her heart melting at the sight of her lover's face.

"I've love to."


	50. Afterword

Thank you, dear reader, for coming with us on this journey! It has been a THRILL! We look forward to providing the next installment, Nephrite Nightshade, in the coming weeks and months. You have been so loyal and patient and words do not describe our love and respect for you. Thank you!


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